Bystander
by poisonpensumi
Summary: Gaara breezes into town, running from his past. Naruto happens to be the first to greet him, quickly getting caught up in Gaara's web. Will contain mentions of sex, profanity, mentions of self harm and abuse, possibly drug use. AU
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**

**This is my very first fanfic.**  
**Please be gentle.**

**I do not own Naruto.**

**Rated M for future chapters, which WILL contain one or more of the following: sex between men, drug use, abuse, self harm, profanity.**

**Reviews are good, yes?**

%%%

When given a choice between sleep and madness, he would always choose madness. Sleep, no matter how needed or craved, could be the end of everything for him. He feared, more than anything, slipping into a dream and not being able to find his way out.

So he didn't sleep. At all.

His bus pulled into the station just past noon on the last day of summer. Sauntering down the metal stairs, he slung the worn and faded duffel bag – containing everything he owned in the world – across his back. As his sandal-clad feet touched the concrete of his new home, his stomach growled. He frowned, trying to remember when he had last eaten. He hand dropped to the front pocket of his jeans, and his fingers tapped against the money he had tucked away.

$20. His last $20. All that was left of the prize money he had received 3 days ago, after paying for a Greyhound ticket out of town, was twenty-fucking-dollars.

"Shit," he said to himself.

He needed to find a shower, somewhere to sleep, and hopefully, a job. His stomach rumbled again, louder this time, and a little old lady walking past threw him a look of pity. Embarrassed, he turned away, arm snaking around his traitorous body. Yes, a shower and a bed would be good, but food needed to come first.

He closed his heavily lined green eyes and inhaled deeply, hoping to get a whiff of something cooking. Faintly, he smelled cooking meat, and his stomach flopped in anticipation.

"Probably can't afford it," he muttered to himself, but his body did not listen. His feet began to move in the direction of the delicious smell. He tried to keep track of the street signs, of the turns he made, but nothing mattered to his mind at that moment except the promise of food. He sniffed the air. The smell was stronger now. Glancing up, he saw thick cooking smoke, which he assumed came from some sort of grill.

Hurrying, he rounded the corner, already tasting the charbroiled hamburger he knew that he would have to order -

-and ran smack into a young blond, sending the stack of papers he was holding every which way.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I STILL don't own Naruto. Sorry.**

Naruto was enjoying the afternoon sun as he handed out flyers and coupons in front of the small diner that employed him when he felt something heavy crash into him, sending him hurtling backward toward the hot asphalt.

"The hell?" the blond man exclaimed. Dazed, he tired to sit up, and found that a person was lying on top of him. A very cute person, if his eyesight was not playing tricks on him. He wiggled a bit, liking the feel of the weight of the red-haired male and -

"That's not the point!" he yelled, startling both himself and the man who ran him over. "Get off me, dude! Watch where you're going next time." Naruto pushed the other man off, who collapsed into a heap, clutching his stomach.

"Food," the green eyed man whispered.

Naruto, now on his knees surveying the mess that surrounded them, leaned over, surprised to hear such a beautiful, raspy voice. "Eh?"

"Food, please," the other man repeated.

Naruto got to his feet, dusting off his orange shorts and black tank top. He eyed the fallen man suspiciously. "Look, dude," he said, "I hope this isn't one of those 'con the bystander' things-"

The other shook his head, and moaned as his stomach rumbled loudly. "I have money."

Sighing, knowing that his boss, Iruka, was a sucker for a sob story, Naruto offered the man a hand up. "Come on," he said. "I'll buy you a cheeseburger."

"So what's your name?" Naruto asked the other man as he finished his third cheeseburger.

"Gaara," he said, as he swallowed. "Um, I didn't mean to eat 3 of these. I can pay for them. How much are they?" he asked, digging into to his pocket for the precious $20 bill. "And, this may sound weird, but is there a.. shelter.. or anything around here?"

Naruto's eyebrows shot to his hairline. "You're homeless?"

Gaara looked down at the remains of his meal and shifted on his stool. "I just got to town. I don't now anyone around here. And I can't afford a hotel."

"Huhn," the blond grunted. He stared openly at the other male seated next to him at the high counter, taking in the heavy eyeliner, the soft green eyes, the huge tattoo on his forehead, and wanted to write him off as a punk. Something in Gaara's manner, however, stopped him from doing just that. "I'm Naruto, by the way," he offered, hoping that by giving his name, the other male could trust him, even just a little bit.

Gaara nodded slowly in acknowledgment. In his fist, he held the damp, crumbled money, prepared to hand it over as payment for the food. It would be painful to part with it, but in a city this size, he was confident he could find some kind of work in no time. Or even, he thought as his gaze darkened, something to sell.

Gaara reached his hand across the table, rehearsing the speech he would use to thank this blond – Naruto, was it? - and get out of there before he said anymore than he wanted to. He licked his lips, tasting mustard and ketchup, took a breath, but the other male was already on his feet.

"IRUKA!" he yelled toward the kitchen.

"What?" answered a muffled voice. A pleasant looking, though scarred, man poked his head around the dividing wall.

"Add this meal to my tab, please."

"You don't have a tab, Naruto. You have a paycheck, and it shrinks every time you eat something."

The blond laughed nervously. "Yeah, well... Anyway, please? And can I take my lunch break now?"

"You were working?" Iruka asked his young employee sarcastically.

Avoiding the question, Naruto instead pointed to the red-haired male next to him. "This is Gaara. I'm going to let him have the spare room. Is that okay?" He turned to Gaara and said, "This is Iruka, my boss and sort of landlord. I live upstairs." He flicked one slender finger toward the ceiling.

"Do you?" Gaara asked quietly.

"Yep," Naruto nodded, and added happily, "and you're going to live there with me."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Nope, still don't own Naruto. Thanks for the reviews! I have been inspired to continue this story. **

Slowly, Gaara, slipped off of the cushioned bar stool. He adjusted the strap on his duffel bag and said, in a low voice, "Thanks for the food." He jammed his soggy money back into his pocket and headed for the door. His eyes skittered to the clock, estimating the time before sundown. If he was lucky, he could find a corner in an alley somewhere, and curl up to keep watch on his dreams.

"Hey wait a minute!" Gaara heard the blond call after him. He hesitated, then pushed open the door and stepped outside. Squinting in the bright afternoon, Gaara looked left and right, hoping to pick a path to walk.

"I said 'WAIT!'" Naruto yelled. He stumbled outside after the red-haired man, and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around. "Where are you going? My apartment is this way," he said, pointing to a metal staircase bolted in the side of the diner.

"I appreciate the offer, Naruto," Gaara said softly, "but I can't accept it."

"Why not?" Confused, Naruto scrunched up his face.

Gaara jammed his hands in his pockets and frowned. "You don't know me. You don't know anything about me. I could murder you in your sleep," he threatened.

Naruto grinned. "Well, if I wake up dead, Iruka will know who to look for."

Astonishment rearranged Gaara's features. How could this man be so trusting? "How can you be so trusting?"

The blond shrugged and said, "Let's up. Up here." He reached out and grabbed the slightly smaller man's wrist, and pulled him along. "It's not much, but.."

If Naruto considered he small, 2 bedroom apartment to be not much, Gaara considered it a palace. Mostly empty, there was a sagging couch pushed into one corner. A laptop computer was set up on the floor next to it. The kitchen was so small, one almost had to go outside to change their mind. 3 closed doors, Gaara assumed, led to the 2 bedrooms and the bathroom.

"Home sweet home!" Naruto announced. He kicked off his shoes at the door, gesturing to Gaara to do the same. Gaara drank in the sight, and inhaled deeply. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay here for a night or two. Maybe.

"Right, Gaara?" Naruto waved his hand in the other man's face. "Earth to Gaara!"

Gaara blinked. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Never mind. Anyway, this is your room," the blond said, opening the door to a completely empty room. "I've got some extra blankets and stuff, if you don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"That's fine," Gaara said. "May I use the shower?"

"Hey, this is your home too, you know! You don't have to ask. You've got a toothbrush and everything in there? Or do you need..?"

"I've got one."

"Good. Feel free to use the soap or shampoo or whatever. I'll wait for you out here." With that, Naruto wandered over to the couch and sat down.

Gaara stared at the man in disbelief, then turned toward the bathroom.

Standing under the hot water, Gaara came to sudden conclusion. Naruto, whatever his game was, was just like everyone else, in the end. Gaara swiped at his eyes and laughed at close he had come to being bamboozled by the apparent innocence of the blond. Picking up his underwear from the shower floor, he rinsed the soap from the dark material, and wrung the excess water from the shorts. Throwing these over the edge of the glass door to dry, he made quick work of scrubbing his own body clean. Shutting off the water, he pushed the clear door open and stepped onto the orange mat.

Moving toward the mirror, he wiped it clean from steam and peered at his haunted face. His eyeliner had smudged a bit, but was still mostly in place.

"Thank goodness for waterproof," he told his reflection. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Gaara?" Naruto called. "You okay in there?"

"Almost done," he answered.

After brushing his teeth quickly, he used his discarded shirt to wipe the remaining water from his body and hair. Bracing himself for what he knew was coming, he opened the door, and stepped into the living to face the blond.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Now with edits. I think.**

* * *

Naruto grinned when he heard the door open, and turned to face his new roommate. His eyes widened when he realized the other man was completely nude. His gaze sank to the the red-haired man's crotch, and he felt his cheeks grow hot. Tearing his eyes away from the lovely sight was almost painful, but he knew that it needed to be done.

"Dude!" Naruto exclaimed, but his words were cut off as he felt his back pushed against the wall. Gaara's mouth was on his, licking and tasting. Despite the shock, Naruto heard himself moan, and return the kiss. His heartbeat sped up as he felt slender fingers push themselves past the elastic waist on his shorts.

His mind cleared as cold fingers wrapped themselves around his -

"HEY!" Naruto raised his arms and shoved Gaara away from him. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

Gaara stared at him with lifeless eyes. "You don't want this?"

"NO!" the blond yelled. "What would make you think that?"

"How should I pay you, then?"

"P-pay me?" Naruto sputtered. "Pay me for what?"

Gaara cocked his head, and raised a hand. "For the food. And the shower. And the use of the room." He counted the things Naruto had offered him on his fingers. "No one does things for free."

"I didn't ask you to pay for it, you dope!"

"But every one wants something. Every one," Gaara explained.

Naruto's shoulders sagged as he realized that Gaara must have lived a harsh life before arriving in town. Sadness crept into his features, and his voice shook as he spoke. "I just think that everybody deserves a chance."

"A chance?"

"You already said that you don't know anybody here, and don't have anyplace to go." Naruto closed his eyes briefly as he chose his words carefully. "If you don't really want to live here, I'll help you find somewhere to go. But if you choose to stay, at least for a while, you'll have your own room, one guaranteed meal a day from Iruka's place downstairs, and if you need money, Iruka will probably let you mop the floors or something."

Gaara's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Why are you so willing to help me?"

"I told you, didn't I? Everybody deserves a chance." The blond ran a hand over his shaggy hair. "Besides, I know what it's like to be alone." He flicked his gaze to the still nude man, and blushed again. "Anyway, get dressed, and come downstairs. We'll talk there."

Naruto turned and walked to the door, with the strangest feeling that he was forgetting something. He had one foot in his laceless sneaker when he remembered.

"SHIT!" he exclaimed, startling Gaara. "The handbills! Iruka's gonna kill me!" Jamming his other foot into a shoe, he yanked open the apartment door and went clattering down the stairs.

Gaara began to shake, and sank to the floor. This wasn't real, was it? Naruto had to want something from him; everyone else did. Gaara wanted to believe that Naruto was just as he appeared, but memories and experience stopped him. Even so, he was beginning to think that maybe he'd stick around for a while. After all, he could stay in this nice apartment, and the blond was cute...

Composing himself, Gaara stood, and went to retrieve a clean outfit from the few choices in his bag.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Nothing really happens in this one. Sorry. Maybe it'll move along in the next chapter? Let's hope so.**

**And, no, I STILL don't own Naruto.**

**jhgjkgk..**

A thin film of sweat covered Naruto's muscular body as he worked. He darted in and out of traffic, almost being flattened several times by trucks. He crawled between people's legs, growling, as he saved the brightly colored flyers from being stepped on. He had to gather up as many usable ones as he could and give them out, before Iruka noticed that he'd dropped them in the first place. He was preparing himself to dash into the street again when a distinctive green track suit caught his attention. He smiled, and stood up to wave to his friend.

"Hey, Eyebrows!" he called to his friend, Lee, who was standing on the opposite side of the street. "LEE!" he yelled again, waving his arm and leaping into the air.

"Ah, Naruto!" Lee responded. He spoke to the pale man standing next to him, and both men crossed the street hurriedly.

"Oh, Eyebrows, am I glad to see yo- Sai?" Naruto asked, seeing the other male up close. "Why are the two of you together on a Sunday?"

"Is that strange?" Sai asked, perplexed. He rubbed his exposed belly, and then retrieved a small notepad from his pocket. Flipping it open, and pulling a pencil from behind his ear, he wrote, muttering "Do not hang with friends on days off."

"NO!" Naruto interrupted. "I didn't mean – whatever. Anyway, why ARE you guys together?"

Lee spoke up first, "Ah, Naruto, I am glad you asked! I was at work over at Fitness Fitness, encouraging my charges to use their guts and the power of their youth to attain true health. Sai, here-" he clapped the pale man on the shoulder "-wandered in, hoping to employ a personal trainer. I said to him, 'Sai, my friend! I will train with you. Together, with our youth, we can achieve anything!'"

Naruto blinked. "Sai, aren't you an art teacher?"

"Yes, I am," Sai admitted. "But sometimes I am called upon to model for my students when the assigned model doesn't show. Is that strange?"

"Er – no." Naruto reached up to scratch his head, then remembered he was holding a stack of handbills. "Oh, yeah! Now I remember. Can you guys do me a favor?"

"A favor?" Sai asked, pencil posed over his little notebook.

"No, favors, my friend! Just pure guts and youth!" Lee answered.

"Right," Natruto said. "Anyway, you see these handbills? I need to pick up as many of them as I can or Iruka's gonna kill me! Will you guys help? Please?"

"Sure-"

"No," a new voice interrupted.

"Wha..?" Naruto whirled around to face a fully clothed Gaara.

"Gaara?" Naruto squeaked. "What do you mean, 'no'? I've got to pick these up-"

"I will pick them up. It appears to be my fault, in any case. So I will do the job," Gaara announced.

One pair of bright blues eyes, and two pairs of dark eyes, stared at him. Gaara stared back and the newcomers, daring them to speak.

The pale one on the belly shirt spoke first. "Naruto," he said softly, "who is this?"

"Oh, this is Gaara," Naruto announced. "My new roommate."

"YOUR WHAT?" his friends screamed in confusion.

**hgfjhkg,jhgkjgjgb,j**

"So that's what happened," Sai said as he sat back in the booth. He scribbled some notes in his little book, muttering "roommate" and "red hair" and "looks dangerous" as he wrote.

Naruto looked through the window to check on Gaara. The red haired man was shoving flyers in people's faces and pointing at the diner. People trickled in and ordered something small, fearing the man outside if they did not. Customers whispered about the new staff addition. Teenage girls were intrigued by his punk inspired looks; old men grumbled about the wasting away of youth, and woman wanted to take him home and feed him, like a stray dog or cat.

Naruto sighed and turned back to his friends. "So be nice to him, okay? He reminds me a lot of me, when I first got here."

"You can count on us, my friend!" Lee shouted, flashing a thumbs up sign to the blond.

Sai also nodded. "I will be nice to this man, as a favor for you."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks, guys." He slid out of the leather covered booth, and stretched. "Well, I'd better get back to work before Iruka has kittens about the customers running in here out of fear. See you guys later?" His friends nodded, and he pushed his way through the growing crowd to join Gaara outside.

**AN2: Funny.. it seemed much longer when I typed it out in Word...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Another chapter where almost nothing happens, but I feel like we're starting to get information on the characters whom I, unfortunately, do not own. Thanks for reviews and subscriptions. I'll try my best to keep you interested.**

Nightfall, to Gaara, felt like the summoning of a beast, or the ringing of a bell that signaled the start of a fight. Nervous anticipation heightened his senses, making him wonder if tonight would be the night that sleep won, and he failed. Sleep caused dreams, and dreams caused death, but the alternative to sleep was just as dangerous. Which is why Gaara sat curled up in a corner of his new bedroom, holding a large, unlabeled bottle of pale green pills, and staring at the patch of moonlight shining on the floor.

He debated taking another dose of the medicine that helped him stay awake, but he knew that, sooner or later, his body would break down from an overdose and he would collapse in pain after going berserk. If that happened, sleep would still win, and all his efforts would have been for nothing.

"You're a monster," his father's voice whispered to him from memory.

"I'm.. a monster," he repeated softly.

In the silent apartment, Gaara could hear Naruto's snores, and he felt oddly comforted and annoyed. Comforted, because, for once, he was not alone, but annoyed that the blond man could sleep so peacefully. He still did not understand how Naruto could accept him so easily, and he said as much to Iruka.

"Why? Why would he do this for me?" Gaara asked the scarred man at the end of his first day in town.

Iruka sat on the stool and looked at the red-haired young man. "Naruto understands the sadness of being lonely. I won't tell you why, because it's not my place," he explained. "But he's a good judge of character, and if he trusts you, then I trust you, too."

"I don't understand," Gaara protested.

Iruka sighed. "You'll just have to get to know him, then. Meanwhile, have you decided what you're going to do?"

Gaara looked down. "I think.. I'd like to stay. At least, for a little while. If.. that's okay with everyone."

Iruka chuckled. "You'd have a hard time convincing Naruto to let you leave, anyhow." He looked thoughtfully at the tattoo on Gaara's face. "I'm guessing you've had a pretty hard time yourself." He raised his hand to ward of Gaara's explanations. "As long as you stay out of trouble while you're here, and cops don't show up looking for you, we'll get along fine. How old are you?"

"22," Gaara answered.

"Same age as our Naruto, then." Iruka nodded to himself. "I'm going to offer you the same deal I gave Naruto. I own this entire building," he indicted with a sweep of his arm, "including the apartment upstairs. In exchange for room and utilities, and one free meal per day, you will work in this diner for 25 hours a week. If you work over that, I will pay you $5 an hour for the extra time. It won't always be easy work, and I can pay you cash, since it seems you'd rather not be found."

Gaara opened his mouth, but Iruka beat him to it. "Do you agree to my terms?"

Gaara balled his hands into fists, feeling his nails cut into his palms. "Yes," he answered. "I accept."

"Good." Iruka stood and patted Gaara on the back. "Welcome to the family, Gaara. For however long you choose to be here, we will be here with you."

Startled Gaara looked away, willing the tears he felt forming in his eyes to stop. "Thank you," he whispered. He slid off the stool just in time to hear Naruto yell, "GAARA! Let's go home!"

And now, he sat in his room, wondering if staying with the blond and the scarred man was just a fantasy. He closed his eyes, twisted off the cap, and shook a pill into his open hand. Filling his mouth with saliva, Gaara popped the pill onto his tongue and swallowed. After closing the bottle, he shoved it underneath the blankets he would not use. He stood, crossed the small room, and opened the door. As quietly as he could, he crept into the living room, slipped past he bathroom, and pushed open the door to the blond's room.

Naruto slept sprawled on his bed, on his back. His legs were bent at odd angles, and his hand rested on his muscled stomach. Gaara closed the door, and tiptoed to the blond's side. His gaze washed over the messy hair, the long eyelashes that fluttered as he dreamed, the slightly parted lips, the finely formed chest and stomach, the hand that covered... was that a tattoo?

Leaning over the man, Gaara peered at his stomach in the dark. Tracing outward from his navel was a swirl design, surrounded by strange letters. Interested, Gaara leaned closer and, using a single finger, traced the lines that marred Naruto's perfect body.

Shivering under the touch, Naruto mumbled, "Feels good," and rolled over, away from Gaara's searching finger. With a small smile quirking his lips, Gaara took a seat on the floor, and decided to spend his night watching the blond man sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Blue eyes crashed into pale green ones when the blond awakened. Yawning, he rolled out of bed and muttered, "Mornin', Gaara."

"Mornin'," Gaara responded quietly. He moved out of the way to allow Naruto to plant his feet firmly on the floor. Crossing the small room, he reached the door first. Opening it, he slipped out of the blond's bedroom without a word or even a backward glance.

Naruto yawned again, and lurched toward the bathroom to complete his morning routine, wondering when he had gotten so comfortable with waking up to Gaara's unsmiling face.

The first morning Naruto opened his eyes and saw Gaara leaning over him, he screamed and fell out of the bed.

"GAARA!" he yelped. "What are you doing in my room?"

Gaara shrugged. "Your snores intrigued me," the red haired man answered calmly. Naruto only groaned in response.

By the third morning, Naruto managed to stifle his alarm and stay seated on his bed. By the fifth morning, Naruto had come to expect – look forward to, really – seeing Gaara's face first thing in the morning. It was comforting, somehow, though the blond would never admit it.

He brushed his teeth slowly and mechanically, with his face scrunched up in deep concentration. Could he possibly be falling in love with Gaara?

"Of course not!" Naruto sputtered, spitting foamy toothpaste all over the sink and mirror. "He's a guy, a guy!" he shouted at himself. A guy, he thought, with smooth skin, beautiful green eyes, excellent abs and a pretty, perky-

Naruto slapped himself.

* * *

Gaara stared curiously at Naruto, who was inhaling his second cup ramen of the morning. "How can you eat that so early in the morning?" he asked his roommate while eying his own meager breakfast of dry toast.

"Because," the blond explained between slurps, "ramen is ramen!"

"That.. makes no sense," Gaara said, confounded.

"Well, anyhow," Naruto said, "today is payday. Whoo! And Iruka said we don't have to do anything until later this evening. Did you wanna do something? Go somewhere? Buy something?"

"I.. hadn't thought about it," Gaara answered truthfully. He looked down at his toast again, and decided against eating. The medicine he was taking to stay awake was killing his appetite. He poked a slice and wondered again if he was doing the right thing by staying with the blond.

"How come you're not eating?" Naruto's voice broke into Gaara's thoughts.

"What?" He jerked his head up and stared, open-mouthed, at Naruto.

"Your breakfast," Naruto pointed with his chopsticks. "You're not eating."

"I'm not.. very hungry.. this morning," Gaara said slowly.

Naruto frowned. "If you say so." He stood and collected his trash. "Well, if you're ready, let's go get paid!" He bounced into the kitchen, leaving Gaara sitting cross-legged on the floor, listlessly poking holes in his bread. With exaggerated slowness, the green eyed male got to his feet, and lifted his plate from the floor. He swayed slightly, and his vision blurred.

_Shit_, Gaara thought. _I'm going to have to sleep soon. I'm beginning to lose control again._

_You're a monster, _his father's voice reminded him.

"Shut up," he muttered.

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm talking too much," Naruto huffed. "I'm just happy about getting paid."

Gaara twitched, having not heard his room mate walk up next to him. His grip slipped, and the plate he was holding fell to the floor and shattered into 3 pieces.

"Ah, geez, Gaara! Be careful! I paid a whole dollar for that plate."

Naruto dropped to his knees and begin to pick up the pieces of plate and bread. Gaara shook his head and dropped to a crouch next to the blond. "My apologies, Naruto. I will replace your plate with my pay. Let me clean this mess, as well."

"I've got it. And don't worry about the plate. It was only a dollar," Naruto flashed a bright grin at Gaara, and the red head felt his face grow warm.

"Naruto," he whispered.

"Hm?" Caught off guard by the serious expression on the other man's face, Naruto frowned. "I said, don't worry about the pla-" His protest was cut short by the forceful kiss Gaara planted on his lips. Before he could react, Gaara had pulled away, picked up half of the trashed plate and food, and walked swiftly into the kitchen to dispose of them.

"The hell?" Naruto wondered out loud. He quickly collected his share of the mess and wandered unsteadily into the small kitchen area to confront Gaara.

"What was that about?" he demanded.

The red haired man stood with his back to Naruto. Curling his hands into fists, he forced himself to say, "That was a thank you. For taking me in. But," he hesitated and then rushed on, "I don't think I can stay here anymore. With you."

"What? Why?" Naruto unceremoniously dumped everything in his hands into the trash bin and reached for Gaara's shoulder.

The red head was trembling.

Shocked, Naruto could only ask, "What's wrong with you?"

"I.. I can't explain it to you."

"But aren't we friends?" Naruto hated the pleading tone that crept into his speech, but there was nothing he could do about it. He felt a lump forming in his throat as he demanded an answer. "What'd I do?"

"It's not you, Naruto. Please believe that. I am grateful for the shelter and the kindness that you have shown me, but I must-"

"Shut up," Naruto growled.

Stunned, Gaara turned to face the blond. "Naruto-"

"I said, SHUT UP!" Naruto growled. He took another step toward his room mate, lifted his arms, and enveloped the the man in a fierce hug.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hmmmm? What exactly is happening here? Well, let's find out.**

**And whoever said that I own Naruto is a liar!**

* * *

Gaara stiffened when he felt Naruto's arms encircle him Feeling his arms pressed to his sides, he began to panic and twist in the blond man's embrace.

"Naruto," he hissed impatiently. "Let me go."

The blond only shook his head. "I don't want you to go."

"Why?" Gaara demanded.

"Because," Naruto answered, "if I let you go, you might not come back, and I don't think I could stand that."

Gaara narrowed his eyes and his voice dropped dangerously low. "Naruto," he growled, "when you invited me to stay here, you said that if I really did not want to be here, you would help me find somewhere else to be. Was that a lie?"

"NO!" Naruto exclaimed, squeezing the other man tighter. "At least, it wasn't one _then_.." he trailed off.

Gaara brought his arms up roughly and broke the blond's hold. He turned his back, and curled his hands into tight fists. The feel of his nails digging into his palms calmed him, and kept the rage inside of him in check.

"Naruto," Gaara said quietly. "Why? Why do you want me to stay here so badly?"

"Because I like having you around. Why do you act like that's a bad thing?"

"You know nothing about me," Gaara protested. He felt woozy and unbalanced, and wanted to end this troubling conversation as quickly as possible. He needed to be alone for the inevitable pill-induced breakdown. He turned away from Naruto and strode unsteadily out of the kitchen.

"Gaara!" Naruto called, rushing after the slightly smaller man. "If I don't know anything, then tell me. Why can't you trust me?"

Gaara froze, anger bubbling to the surface. "Trust you?" he hissed. "Trust? HA!" He let out a harsh bark of laughter and fumbled to pull his shirt out of his pants. "Trust? Let me tell you about trust." He yanked his shirt over his head, and heard Naruto gasp as the blond took in the network of scars on his back. "Do you see this? Do you? This was my reward for 'trust', Naruto."

Naruto took several hesitant steps toward the devastation presented to him. Gaara's back was a mess; long, jagged marks crisscrossed his pale flesh, and there were several dark, scaly patches. Shaking, he lifted a hand, and touched the red-haired man's back. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Gaara chuckled, and jerked away from Naruto's touch. "Listen closely, because I will not repeat this.

"My mother died when I was born, and my father hated me for it. He blamed me for her death, and shoved my care onto my uncle, my mother's brother, Yashamaru. I thought that Yashamaru and I would be together forever. He was the only person who loved me, the only person I trusted completely." Gaara laughed bitterly. "How wrong I was. While I was naively and blindly trusting him, he was plotting our deaths, believing that he could join my mother in the next world.

"When I was 8 years old, we had a big dinner for my birthday, and I was allowed a glass of wine. Seems funny now, giving an 8 year old wine. When I got sleepy, he carried me up to bed, and as he tucked me in, he told 'we'll see your mother again soon.' I didn't realize what he meant until I woke up, coughing. My room was full of smoke. I ran to the door, but it wouldn't open. Yashamaru had locked me in. I jumped from my window, and as I was running away from the fire, the house exploded, knocking me down. I suffered through six surgeries on my back to remove all the glass and various bits, and to try and 'fix' the skin. It wasn't until my third surgery that my father told me what happened.

"Yashamaru had set the house on fire.

"What trust? What love? Those are just stupid words." Gaara lifted his shirt over his head, and stopped when he felt a something warm and wet press against his back. "Na-Naruto?"

"Shh," the blond said. Naruto pressed his lips against the marks on Gaara's back, even as a little voice in his head yelled _STOP! You're putting your lips on another man! _"Shh," Naruto said again. He slid to his knees, and pressed his tear-streaked face against the evidence of Gaara's mistreatment.

"Naruto, what are doing?" Gaara demanded, panic creeping into his tone.

"I'm hoping you'll learn to trust me. I'm crying because you were hurt. I'm angry because you've been alone for so long." He wrapped his arms around Gaara's waist and pulled him down to floor.

Gaara twisted and tried to pull away. "St-stop. Stop! You still know nothing! You don't know what you're asking me to do."

"So tell me. Please? But for now, just stay with me." Naruto sat fully on the floor, opening his legs. He pulled Gaara to him, pressing his chest into the red-haired man's back. He arranged his arms to drape over Gaara's shoulders, and ran his fingers up and down the man's arms.

"Naruto-" Gaara started, and then winced. Pain blossomed in his head, and his vision swam. His heartbeat sped up, and he knew that his limit had been reached. "Naruto," he tried again, "you have to let me go."

Naruto shook his head. "I refuse."

Panicked, Gaara used his fingers and tried to pry the blond's arms from his body. "Let go," he demanded.

The blond shook his head again. "I won't."

"You have to!"

"I won't!"

"Let me GO!" Gaara screamed as the pain in his head exploded. Releasing an anguished cry, he pressed his hands to his face.

Alarmed, Naruto loosened his hold. "Gaara? Gaara, what's wrong? Gaara!" He pulled away and crawled around to the front of his roommate.

Gaara drew his knees to his chest and began to rock back and forth. His fingers dug into his hair and clawed at his skull. He muttered, over and over again, "Too late, too late, too late, too late, too late.."

"Gaara?"

"Too late, too late, too late.."

"GAARA!" Naruto put a hand to his roommates cheek, hoping to get a response. He reached into the pocket of his pants, digging for his phone. Freeing it, he thumbed the menu button, and was pushing the button to connect a call to Sai when Gaara stopped rocking and kicked Naruto in the chest. The phone clattered to the floor, and Naruto could hear it ringing. As Sai answered, Naruto cautiously said, "Gaara?"

The red-haired man wore an expression of intense concentration. "Run, Naruto."

"Gaara? The hell?"

"Whatever happens, I'm sorry."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Since this is my first fanfic, I was very worried about people liking it. Here's another chapter for you beautiful readers.**

**And no, I still don't own Naruto, unfortunately. **

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Sai jerked awake when his phone vibrated in his lap, sending the book resting on his face crashing to the floor. He winced at the crinkling sound the paperback made when it met the bare hardwood flooring, and hoped it was not damaged. He could not afford to replace another library book this month.

Pushing himself up slowly to ease the crick in his neck from falling asleep sitting up on the couch, he reached for the phone and smiled when he saw the name scrolling across the display. With a rare genuine smile creasing his face, he activated the speaker function and answered cheerfully.

"Naruto," he greeted his friend, but frowned when he heard the blond's confused exclamation.

"_Gaara? The hell?_" he heard his friend say.

"_Whatever happens, I'm sorry,_" Sai heard the redhead answer. His frown deepening, Sai wondered what was going on. It did not seem as if Naruto had meant to call him, but it also seemed as if something very serious was happening.

"Naruto, can you hear me?" Sai spoke into the phone. He listened intently, and heard a crash from his friend's end of the conversation.

"_Shit, Gaara, that hurt! What in the – Hey, wait! Don't throw that! GAA-_"

"_Too late_," Gaara hissed. "_Too late, too late." _Another crash made Sai jump to his feet. He had no idea what was going on, but he planned to find out.

He dropped the still connected phone into his shirt pocket carefully, and rushed around his small apartment, gathering his keys, wallet, and bag. When he heard what seemed to be a scream of pain and a growled "_Shut up_", he knew that he needed to move faster. He grabbed the small wireless earpiece and slapped it in his ear. Pushing the button, he turned deactivated the speaker function and winced as the terrible sounds wafted into his ear.

"Naruto, I am coming to your house. Can you hear me? Naruto?" Sai's question was answered with a thud and the sickening sound of flesh pounding flesh. He felt a cold feeling settle in his stomach and flew out of his home, barely remembering to grab his helmet and gloves.

He dashed across the hall to the home of a friend of his from school. Knowing that she was a registered nurse, he hoped to convince her to accompany him, just in case Naruto was injured. He hesitated, knowing that she did not care for Naruto, but at this point, he had no choice. He had to save his friend from whatever mess he had gotten into this time. Steeling his spine, he lifted a gloved hand, and rapped on the nurse's door.

"No, Sai," came the immediate response.

"I have not asked you anything yet," Sai responded, mildly peeved.

The door was yanked open, and a bleary-eyed, pink haired woman snarled, "I just worked three eighteen hour shifts in a row. It's my day off. Whatever it is, the answer is no."

"What if I informed you that a friend was possibly in need of medical care?" Sai asked cautiously.

"Drag him to the ER and leave me alone," the pink haired woman tossed back.

"Sakura, please. I would not bother you if it was not important. I am on a call with Naru-"

"Oh, hell no, Sai! Good bye." She attempted to close the door in his face, but he was quicker, and shoved his body into the crack. Sakura gave up trying to force the door closed and instead, pulled her bathrobe securely closed and crossed her arms over her chest. "What? What?"

"Naruto may need our help. He called me, but perhaps he did not mean to."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I heard him yelling at his new roommate, and then there were crashes. Is it not strange to think that he may be in trouble?"

Sakura groaned. "And if he is in trouble? We're not obligated to help him every time he gets himself into a mess. Why should I help that idiot?"

"Because he is our friend," Sai answered simply.

Sakura shook her head. "He's no friend of mine," she denied vehemently.

"He was your friend, right up until the day he stopped your boyfriend from killing yo-"

Sakura moved so quickly, Sai did not see her fist until it crashed into his cheek. He staggered backward from the force of her blow as she snarled, "You leave Sasuke out of this! I told you, and I told that idiot, it was a mistake! A misunderstanding."

Sai said nothing; Sakura was clearly still in denial. Rather than respond, he reached up to his ear, and pressed the button to activate speakerphone. He watched Sakura's eyes narrow, then widen, as she took in the sounds she was hearing.

"Oh my God," she whispered. Her hands flew to her mouth, shaking. "Is that really Naruto?"

Sai nodded.

Sakura's voice shook when she asked, "What's happening to him?"

"I suspect that he is fighting with the man that he took in."

Sakura froze. "Fighting? But, Naruto can't.." She trailed off, and stared off into space, biting her lip. Coming to a decision, she leveled a hard stare at Sai. "Let me find some clothes and my bag. And this better not be a trick," she warned, brandishing a tightly clenched fist.

After waiting for what seemed like hours, Sai finally got Sakura settled on his bike and wearing his spare helmet. She squeezed his midsection mercilessly, though whether out of anger of fear, Sai was unable to tell. He ignored the painful pressure as much as he could, and drove fast toward Iruka's diner, eager to check on his friend. Sai was especially concerned once silence fell, and the phone call was ended. Worried, he sped into the parking lot and braked forcefully, almost throwing the pink haired woman from the motorcycle.

He jumped off and, ignoring the woman's annoying voice asking him to slow down, ran to the other side of the building and up the stairs. He pounded on the door. Receiving no answer, he turned the knob. Surprised to find it unlocked, he opened it with extreme caution. Poking his head in, his heart sank when he saw the damage. Plates and cups were strewn around the room, along with several utensils. Creeping in, Sai debated leaving his shoes on in the event of broken glass.

"Oh my God!" Sakura exclaimed, creeping up behind Sai. "What happened?"

"I do not know," Sai answered. Raising his voice, he called for his friend. "Naruto? Are you here?"

The sound of an opening door caught his attention. Walking completely inside of the apartment, Sai removed his shoes and stepped carefully into the living room. His heart almost stopped when he saw Naruto exit his bedroom.

"Yo, Sai!" the blond said cheerfully. "I was just about to call you back. My battery died," he explained further. "Oh. Sakura," he said, losing some of his cheerfulness.

Sakura stared at Naruto, horrifed. "What the hell happened to you?" she shrieked.

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**A/N: Yes, another cliffhanger. I'm sorry I'm so evil.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Yes, yes, I know. I made you wait, and then I presented you with a crappy chapter. Sorry, sorry. Personal stuff going on, and I felt this this scene just needed to end so other things could happen. I still don't own Naruto, btw.**

* * *

"_What the hell happened to you?"_

The shrill, unmistakeably female voice penetrated the fog in Gaara's brain and forced his vision to clear. He grunted as he became aware of his present situation. His arms were sore. His legs were numb. His face hurt, and something warm and wet was trickling into his left eye. He tried to blink the substance away, but it only made his vision worse. He wanted to clear his eye, but found that his hands were restrained above his head. Experimentally, he wiggled his wrists. That sound and that feel...

"Handcuffs," Gaara whispered. "Dammit. What did I do?" He concentrated hard, and another thought rose in his mind. "Naruto! Did I hurt him?" He shook his body, and determined that his ankles were also connected together and attached to something.

Gaara turned his head, and with his good eye, gave the room a sweeping glance. Orange curtains. Spiral paintings. Empty ramen cups on the bed side table.

"I'm handcuffed to Naruto's bed," Gaara said to himself. "What the hell happened?" His attention snapped to the rising voices outside of the bedroom. Closing his eyes, he strained to hear the conversation taking place without him.

"_Sakura, chill! I'm fine, I'm fine," Naruto protested. _

"_Liar!" she announced. "Have you seen your face? Sai, look at his face!" she demanded._

"_I must say, you do not look 'fine' as you say," Sai quietly agreed with the woman. _

"_Traitor," Naruto mumbled. "But don't worry about me. I'm fine. This is nothing. Gaara might need your help, though."_

"_Did he do this to you, Naruto?" the female asked._

"_Sort of," Naruto admitted. "But he apologized first."_

"_That makes no sense. Where is he? I want to see this Gaara person."_

"_He's in my room. Ah, but.."_

"_But what, Naruto? Are you going to continue to let him stay here after this?"_

"_Yes," Naruto answered honestly._

_The woman sputtered. "Wh-why? Look at what he did to your face! Half of it's purple, and you have cuts and wounds all over your neck and arms!"_

"_He apologized, and I know he didn't mean to do it," Naruto said stubbornly. _

"_You are unbelievable!" the female shrieked again._

Gaara opened his eyes slowly. He was worried about how to face Naruto; if the conversation he had just heard was anything to go by, he had beaten Naruto badly. A heavy feeling settled in his belly as the door opened. With his good eye, Gaara could make out Naruto, Sai, and a female with strangely colored hair.

The woman stepped forward and gasped. Peering down at him, she raked her eyes over his form and injuries. "Naruto!" she lectured. "You can't be serious about letting him stay here after this. Look at him. Who tattoos their forehead? He looks like some kind of freak!" she spat.

"Says the woman who dyes her hair a color not found in nature," Gaara said calmly.

Naruto pushed past his friends. "Gaara, are you.. back? I mean, are you.. okay.. now?"

"I am fine, Naruto. And I do apologize for my earlier behavior." Gaara felt a cool breeze lick his exposed nipples. "I do not suppose you could undo these restraints and hand me my shirt?"

"Ah, sorry. Let me just.." Naruto hurried to the nightstand and yanked open a drawer. He stuck his hand in and rummaged around, scrunching his face up in concentration.

Sakura groaned and turned to Sai. "You see? It was useless to come over here. Useless! He's still an idiot, albeit one who handcuffs his violent roommate to the.." Sakura froze and trailed off, deep in thought. A peculiar expression crossed her face. She swiveled to face the blond, dragging her eyes across the tightly restrained red-haired man ion the bed. "Um, Naruto?"

"Hm?" he answered distractedly. "Ah ha! Found it!" he said, triumphantly holding up a small, silver key.

"Why do you own handcuffs?" Sakura asked the blond.

Startled, Naruto looked at the pink-haired woman's face, then dropped his gaze. "No reason," he mumbled. Clearing his throat, he bent over Gaara, and thrust the key into to the small lock. With a flick of his wrist, Gaara's hands were freed. Stepping back to give the pale man some room to sit up, he scanned the floor. Spying the shirt he had dropped when he carried Gaara into the bedroom after stunning him with a strong headbutt, he bent and retrieved it. Passing it to Gaara, Naruto winced as he watched the other man use the shirt to first clean the blood from his face.

Gaara wiped until his eye was clear of the wet liquid, which turned out to be blood, and then slipped his now stained shirt over his head and down over his torso. He leaned forward, and untied the cloth belts that fastened his ankles to the bed post. Flexing his toes to get the blood flowing again, he spoke without lifting his gaze.

"Naruto," he said, "you know that I can not stay here after this. Thank you, and I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Sakura nodded emphatically and practically shouted, "That's right!"

Naruto glared at her, then turned his attention to his room mate. "Shut up, Gaara."

Shocked, Gaara looked up at Naruto's damaged face. "Look at what I did to you," he started, but Naruto cut his words off.

"So what? Friends fight. And I'm sure you have a good reason for all of this, that you'll tell me when you're ready. And it's not like you have anywhere else to go. You're not the first friend that has punched me in the face." Naruto glared at Sakura when he said this, and she had the grace to blush and look away.

"Leave Sasuke out of this this," she hissed.

"I didn't say his name; you did," Naruto said casually, making her blush deepen. "Anyway, Gaara, you're welcome to stay. Besides, we still haven't gotten our paychecks yet."

Gaara stared open-mouthed at the blond man. He could not believe that even after this, after seeing him in such a state, Naruto was willing to allow him to remain under his roof. He bit his lip and swallowed hard, feeling a lump forming in his throat. His chest felt tight, and he felt the burning in his eyes that signaled tears.

"How can this be?" Gaara whispered. "How can you be this way, doing these things for a stranger?"

"Because he's an idiot!" Sakura yelled.

"Because he is Naruto," Sai answered.

"Because you're my friend," Naruto said with a smile.

Gaara felt his body move without his command. He stood and flung himself into the blond man's arms. Naruto's eyes widened, but before he could speak, Gaara's lips crashed against his. Shock gave way to lust, and Naruto found himself eagerly returning the kiss.

"GAH!" Sakura shrieked. Sai immediately whipped out his notebook and wrote quickly, muttering "Emphasizing friendship during hardship will lead to kissing."

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**A/N: Please don't hurt me. *ducks*** **I promise the next chapter will be better.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and the get well wishes! I am feeling better, and to prove it, here's a new chapter. Enjoy!**

**And sadly, no one has offered to sell me the Naruto franchise, so I do not own it or any of the characters.**

* * *

Gaara sat in the dark living room, curled up on the couch like a cat. He was positioned facing the entrance, ready to spring whenever the door opened. His eyes floated to the animated clock bouncing around on the computer screen.

Naruto was late. Again.

Gaara frowned, remembering how, on the day of their fight, Naruto smiled through the cleaning of the apartment. He smiled while picking up their pay packets. He had smiled while they were cleaning the diner and washing the dishes at closing time. Naruto had even smiled when he kissed Gaara for the second time that day, and said, "Don't wait up. I'll be back later." When he had come home, it was late, he had reeked of alcohol and stale smoke, and his smile was gone. He stepped into the apartment and mumbled a greeting, avoiding Gaara's questioning gaze.

Mentally, Gaara shook himself. He did not understand how things had turned out this way.

"I sound like a heart-sick housewife," he chastised himself. But he did want to know. Had he done something wrong?

"_You mean, besides beat him bloody and forcefully kiss him? You're a monster. He doesn't want you around." _Gaara's father's voice said.

"Fuck off and die," Gaara answered the dead man in his head. "He wanted to kiss me. He enjoyed it. He called me his friend, and defended me. He begged me to stay here."

"_Only because he feels sorry for you."_

"That's not true," Gaara said defensively, but a small part of him wondered if it was true. Why else would Naruto allow a total stranger to move into his house, and then let said stranger to stay after being attacked by him? It did not make sense.

"_Nobody wants you," _the voice warned.

"Fuck off," Gaara commanded. He parted his lips to offer more colorful curses and denials, but paused when he heard a rattling coming from the entrance to his home. Springing to his feet, he padded swiftly across the room and planted himself in the doorway. He had no problem with Naruto drinking and staying out, but the blond's exploits where beginning to affect his work at the diner. Iruka was starting to notice, and kept putting Naruto in the kitchen, out of sight, or asking him to only show up at closing time to clean.

The door swung open, and Naruto came tumbling in, pulling a brown-haired man with him. Gaara walked to the wall and snapped on the light. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at the bundle of men on the floor.

Naruto looked up first, and smiled. "Hey, it's Gaara! Look, Kiba. It's Gaara, Gaara!"

The brown-haired man glanced up and sneered. He reminded Gaara of a feral dog, with his sharp canines, hard eyes, and messy hair. A low growl sounded in Kiba's throat, as if the mere existence of Gaara was a threat to him.

Gaara sighed inwardly. It was not his business what Naruto did, or whom he did it with. He started to walk to away, retreating to the privacy of his room, when the other man spoke.

"Why are you here?" the man growled.

Gaara froze, and turned deliberately slowly around. "I live here, unlike you. Perhaps I should ask you why _you_ are here?" It was subtle, but it was there. Gaara had marked his territory and issued the intruder a challenge.

Kiba growled again. "He invited me," he answered with a smirk, nodding in the prone blond's direction.

Naruto nodded. "Uh huh, uh, huh. I sure did!" he happily agreed. "I was shrinkin'... drinkin', and Kiba said he'd help me home. And I'm home! Gaara, I'm home!"

"Welcome home," Gaara said quietly. He glared at the intruder, not liking the way he was laying on Naruto. _**MINE! **_his inner voice screamed. Out loud, he said, "Thank you, Kibble, for bringing him home. I am certain you must be ready to be on your way now."

"It's Kiba!"

"What is?"

"My name!" Kiba snarled. He stood, pulling Naruto up with him. Gaara felt his hand twitch, eager to punch Kiba and snatch Naruto from his overly familiar embrace.

"How nice for you," Gaara remarked dryly. He unfolded his arms and held out a hand to his room mate. "Naruto, how much did you drink?"

"Unh..." the blond scrunched up his face in concentration, and then hold up both hands, with all his fingers splayed. "This many?"

Gaara shook his head and waved his hand toward Naruto. "Come on. You need to get to bed."

"Ish the party over?" the blond slurred. "Damn, I misshed it."

"We can have our own party," Gaara heard himself offer. "I promise."

"Sweet!" Naruto pulled away from his escort and lurched toward his red-haired, tattooed friend, singing "Party! Party!" He stumbled, and Gaara grabbed him with strong arms and held him closely. Naruto pressed his face into Gaara's neck and inhaled. "Mmm.. You smell good."

As much as Gaara wanted to take advantage of the situation, he knew he could do nothing, especially while their guest was standing in the entry way, growling and snarling. Smirking, Gaara decided to bid the other man farewell.

"Well, Kibble-"

"Kiba."

"-as you can see, Naruto should really get to bed. We give you our thanks for returning him safely. Can you manage to find your own way out of here so we can get some sleep?" Gaara asked.

Kiba thrust a finger in Gaara's face, "Don't act all innocent now, Gaara! I've heard about you from our boy here. You're the reason he's been getting shitfaced every night. First Sasuke, now you! Stop hurting him!"

Gaara blinked slowly. "Who's Sasuke?"

"Don't act like you don't know, Red!"

"But I don't know. I have only heard that name once before, and not from Naruto."

Kiba narrowed his eyes, then slumped as the fight left him. "You really don't know?" he asked suspiciously.

Gaara answered in the negative.

Kiba sighed, and ran his hands through his hair. "Not my place to say. But you listen here, Gaara. You slip up once, just once, and I will tear you a new asshole."

"You have no need to worry, Dog Boy," Gaara responded with fire in his eyes and ice in his words. "Should I slip up, I will tear myself a new asshole, as you so crudely worded it."

"Gaara!" the blond groaned. "Sleepy."

Kiba took that as his cue to leave, albeit reluctantly. "I'll call you later, okay, Naruto?"

"Uh huh, Kiba. You go home now. Gaara's here!" Naruto dissolved into giggles as Kiba stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind him.

Gaara looked at the puddle of drunken blond in his arms and said, "Come on, Naruto. You need sleep."

"Pee."

"What?"

"Gotta pee first. And I stink, don't I?"

"But.. you can't stand up, can you?"

"You can help me, right, Gaara?"

"Help you..?"

"Pee! And shower!"

Gaara gulped and forced down inappropriate thoughts. Very rarely had he been turned on by a man, but there was something different about Naruto, and here the blond was practically begging to be stripped naked and held. Gaara squeezed his eyes closed and counted to ten in his head. Steeling himself, he said, "Oh, alright," and half-dragged, half-carried the blond into the bathroom.

After undoing Naruto's pants and positioning the drunk man over the toilet, Gaara looked away and waited until he finished his business. That done, Gaara lifted a leg and used his foot to flush the toilet. Next, he pulled the blond's pants all the way down, willing himself not to look. "Step out," he commanded, and waited for Naruto to obey. Then, unbuttoning his shirt, Gaara slipped the soft material over Naruto's shoulders and down his arms. Biting his lip, Gaara opened the shower door, and nudged Naruto inside. Quickly shedding his own clothes, he climbed into the shower and closed the door.

Turning the water on full blast, Gaara tested it with his body first and then pushed Naruto under the spray. Once the blond was wet, Gaara turned to grab the liquid body wash, and cursed when he realized he had not grabbed a wash cloth. Grinding his teeth together, he pumped soap into his palm, and rubbed his hands together. Turning back to the blond, Gaara said "Naruto? Can you stand on your own? I need to wash you now."

"Wash away," Naruto chuckled hoarsely. He shivered when Gaara's hand touched his neck, and worked they way down his chest and stomach. He closed his eyes and was well on his way to getting lost in the sensation when the touching stopped. "What's wrong?" He opened his eyes and looked down to see Gaara leaning over his strong erection, debating on whether or not it needed to be washed, too.

"Naruto," Gaara whispered. "I don't.. I don't think.. This is not a good idea."

"Heh," Naruto chuckled again. "He likes you." He reached out and grabbed Gaara's hand, placing it on his throbbing member. "I like you, too."

"We can't do this. You're drunk. You don't know what you're saying."

"Kiss me. Please?"

Gaara looked up into those lust filled blue eyes, and saw something else lurking deeper: pain. He straightened his back and pressed himself close to the blond. Their lips touched, gently at first. Their mouths opened wider, and their tongues joined the fray. Naruto moaned into Gaara's mouth, and he wrapped his arms around the other man's slippery shoulders. The water splashed against them, soaking their skin.

Gaara pulled away first, aware that his hand was wrapped around a part of Naruto that it had no business touching. "Naruto," he tried again.

The blond groaned and him closer. "Same my name again. I like the way you say it."

"Naruto," the red-haired man said, "you stupid fucking idiot!" He pulled away roughly and flung the glass door open. He grabbed a towel from the rack on the wall and dried himself quickly. He pulled on his pajama pants, gathered his clothes, and stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Naruto blinking and shivering.

"What'd I do?" Naruto asked the running water.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Citrus alert! (And if I owned the Naruto franchise, the characters would be older, and spend more time in bed. Hee hee. Sadly, I do not own it.)**

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Gaara violently kicked open his bedroom door, and then punched it closed. He dug his fingers into his hair and pulled roughly. Howling in frustration, he zeroed in on his secret hiding place. Dropping to his knees and doing a fast crawl to the farthest corner of the room, his shoved his bag aside and clawed up the floorboard he had loosened. Reaching in, he snatched up his pill bottle, and twisted the cap off. Hesitating only for a second, he placed two pills on his tongue and dry swallowed. Replacing the cap, he carelessly tossed the brown bottle back into its hidey-hole and sat back on his heels. He wanted to bang his head against the wall, or at least punch something. He wanted to feel physical pain in hopes that it would distract him from whatever was going on in his chest. Balling his hands into tight fists, he felt his nails dig into his palm, and he breathing began to slow.

As if from a great distance, he heard the shower shut off. Figuring that Naruto must be well enough to stand by himself, he almost ignored the _crash _and _thud _that sounded, followed closely by a yelp of pain.

Almost.

"Naruto?" he called. He heard a whimper in response. Sighing, he dragged himself to his feet and crossed to his closed door. Opening it, he squinted in the dim light, and spotted his room mate pulling himself to a sitting position in front of the bathroom. His naked, dripping wet room mate. With a groan, Gaara stepped out of his room and walked over to the blond.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Naruto complained. He rubbed his head and looked up, sheepishly, at the other man. "I fell. Hee hee," he giggled.

Tempted to walk away, Gaara fought his instinct and offered a hand to the fallen man. "You need to get in bed," he said as he helped him up. "And dry off properly. Otherwise, you might catch a cold."

"I couldn't find a towel," Naruto mumbled.

Biting his lip, Gaara stomped into the bathroom, located Naruto's favorite orange towel, and threw it over the blond's head. Noting how lost the other man seemed to be, Gaara sighed again, and began to dry his hair. That done, he wrapped the towel loosely around Naruto's waist, and grabbed his wrist.

"Come on," he commanded. "Go to bed." He pulled the blond into his room and sat him on the bed. "Where do you keep your pajamas? Or least some underwear?"

"I can sleep like this," Naruto announced. He lifted his legs onto the bed and crawled into position, allowing the towel to fall onto the floor, effectively flashing Gaara. Stunned, the red-head blinked rapidly, then looked away.

"Fine. Just try not to get sick." He waited until Naruto was settled in his usual spot, and then pulled the covers over him. Turning, he walked to the door, and placed his hand on the knob, intending to leave and pull the door shut behind him.

"Stay with me," Naruto's voice interrupted Gaara. "Please."

"You need-"

"I know that you come in here and watch me sleep every night," Naruto said, making Gaara's blood freeze. An unpleasant feeling spread across his chest and belly, and he looked over his shoulder at the blond to make sure he was not hearing things.

"What?"

"I know you come in and watch me sleep," Naruto repeated. "If that's the case, won't it be easier to just stay here? Please? I don't want to be alone right now."

Giving in to the strange tone in Naruto's voice, Gaara silently closed the door and walked to the bed. Smiling faintly, Naruto scooted sideways to allow Gaara some room to climb in. He even pulled the covers back so that Gaara could be underneath them as well.

Climbing in, Gaara positioned himself next to the blond and lay stiff as a board. He closed his eyes, intending to fake falling asleep to avoid any awkward conversations, but Naruto had other ideas.

"Sasuke was the last person to live here with me," the blond offered. Gaara's eyes sprang open at the surprising piece of information, but Naruto was not finished yet. "He was my best friend, if you can call it that. We had this weird.. love/hate thing going on, you know? And Sakura was in love with him, and I thought I was in love with Sakura. Turns out, I was probably in love with Sasuke. We kissed and stuff, but the whole time, he was dating Sakura, and I never knew." He sighed. "Some things happened, and there was a big fight between all of us. That bastard Sasuke, he hurt us, me and Sakura, and then he left. But before he disappeared, he told me that he hated me. And Sakura probably hates me, too." His voice cracked, and he said, "Sometimes I hate myself, too."

Gaara turned in the bed to face the blond. "Naruto-"

"Don't me leave me, 'kay, Gaara? I don't wanna be alone again." This last was said thickly, as his breathing slowed. Gaara could tell that Naruto was dozing off.

"Naruto," Gaara whispered. When the other man failed to answer, Gaara placed a hand on his chest and shook him softly. Naruto responded by rolling onto his side and muttering, "Don't leave me."

Feeling his chest tighten, Gaara wrapped a strong arm around Naruto's waist and pulled him close. He delivered soft kisses to his neck and shoulder and murmured, "I will try, Naruto. I promise, I will try." As Naruto sighed and relaxed against Gaara's hold, Gaara felt strangely peaceful. He decided to close his eyes and rest while protecting the blond in his sleep.

* * *

A crushing blow to his ribs rudely awakened Naruto.

"GAH!" he choked out, sitting up much to fast for his spinning head to handle. With one hand on his head and the other rubbing his sore side, he looked for the source of his wake up call, and noticed Gaara twitching and clawing at the air, as if drowning, or fighting an unseen opponent.

Cautiously, Naruto edged closer to him, and called his name. "Gaara? Gaara! GAARA!" He reached out a hand and tried to shake the man's shoulder, only to have his hand smacked away. "Dammit, not again," he grumbled. Sitting up on his knees, he used both hands to grip the red-haired man's shoulder and shake with force. "GAARA!"

Gaara's eyes flew open, but they were unfocused and rolling wildly about in their sockets. His mouth opened and closed as if he was gasping for air. He muttered incoherent words as he continued to thrash about.

"Wake up, dammit!" Naruto yelled into his face. Gaara's eyes stopped spinning, and the man scrambled backward, pressing his back into the wall and drawing his legs up to his chest. He rocked himself gently and his breath came in harsh pants. Eyes finally focusing, he saw Naruto's worried face staring at him.

"Naruto?" Gaara glanced around, and panicked when he realized he was in the blond's bed.

"Geez, Gaara! What the hell were you dreaming about?"

"Dreaming?" Gaara looked confused. "I was.. dreaming? Then.. I was sleep? I fell asleep?"

"Apparently. You were muttering stuff about 'I want to live.' That mean anything to you?"

Gaara paled and began to shake. "It's happening again," he said.

"Gaara?"

"I should go." Gaara uncurled his limbs and made a move to leave the bed, but found his exit blocked by Naruto. He frowned at the blond, but stopped struggling when he saw, in the dim light, the same haunted look in the blond's eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own. He turned his face away, and his hair, which had been growing steadily in the time he had been in town, fell over his face.

"I'm an idiot," Naruto whispered. He reached for Gaara's face, and stilled when the other man flinched. When Gaara looked at him again, Naruto continued moving slowly, until his fingers were intertwined in Gaara's hair. Brushing the red locks back gently, Naruto revealed the blood red ink and said, "This means 'love', right?" When Gaara nodded slowly, Naruto leaned forward, and planted a kiss on the kanji symbol. He moved his hand down to cup Gaara's jaw, and leaned in for another kiss.

Gaara pulled back and shook his head. "Maybe we shouldn't.."

"And maybe we should," Naruto countered. "I think we both need this right now." Gaara acknowledged the need coursing through himself, and met the blond halfway in a deep kiss. He opened his mouth wide to accept the gift of Naruto's tongue. Taking the lead, he lifted himself off the wall, and pushed Naruto gently down on the bed.

Gaara thrust a knee between Naruto's thighs, and settled himself between them. He felt Naruto's body grow hot, and shiver ran down his spine. Naruto, for his part, ran his hands across the scarred back, down to the hips, and slipped his hands past the elastic waistband to grip Gaara's butt. Taking the hint, Gaara thrust his pelvis against Naruto's, and felt their erections brush through the thin material of his pants. Breaking the kiss, Gaara ran his hands down the length of Naruto's body, and then lifted himself to his knees. He pushed his pants down as far as they would go, and used his legs and feet to pull them off completely. Lowering himself once again, he allowed Naruto to pull him in for another kiss.

"So," Naruto said, panting slightly, "what now?"

Gaara blinked. "You've never done this before?"

"Only with myself," Naruto answered, blushing.

"Not even with a woman?"

"No, dammit, not even!"

Gaara smirked. "We do not have to go all the way right now. There are other things that we can do."

"Like..?"

"Kiss. Touch."

"Like this?" Naruto asked, running his thumbs over Gaara's nipples.

"Mmm," Gaara said. "That's good, but I was thinking more of this." He leaned down, and kissed Naruto's lips, then moved to his neck. Slowly, he licked the blond's nipples, enjoying the gasp of pleasure he heard. Gaara used his lips to drive a path to Naruto's strange, swirly tattoo. He flicked a glance up to Naruto as he licked the inked design.

"It's good," Naruto murmured. Gaara faced Naruto's throbbing erection head on and, without warning him, took it deeply inside of his mouth. "Oh, shit!" Naruto exclaimed, hips bucking at the feel of the warm, wet heat surrounding him. Lazily, he ran his fingers through the shock of red hair bobbing up and down. As good as it felt, though, Naruto did not find it fair that he was on the receiving end of such pleasure. He tugged lightly on Gaara's hair to make him stop.

Gaara kissed the inside of Naruto's thigh, earning another shiver, and asked his lover, "Is something wrong? Am I moving too fast?"

"No, not that," Naruto breathed. "This isn't fair to you, though."

"You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes, I do. Is there – I mean, you know... Can we – um.. Is there some way we can do this, you know, together?"

"There is," Gaara admitted, "but are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Naruto hissed. "I want to make you feel good, too."

Swallowing hard, Gaara climbed back up Naruto's body, kissing all the way, until his knees were level with Naruto's shoulders.. He then rolled onto his side, and placed his face next to Naruto's hip. Eyes wide, Naruto found himself face to face with a very perky part of Gaara. He licked his lips, and wondered briefly if he was really ready for this.

"Are you sure?" Gaara asked again.

"Stop asking me that!" Naruto snapped, as he wondered what to do. _Let's see_, he thought. _I suppose I could touch him? _He wrapped a hand around Gaara's manhood, and pumped twice, slowly. Gaara moaned and shifted closer. _So far, so good. _Naruto moved his face closer and stuck out his tongue. He licked the tip, and around the head, growing bolder as Gaara gasped and grunted. _This is it! _He thought, and placed his mouth around the hot flesh. He waited for a gasp from Gaara only to let slip a hiss of his own as he was returned to the warm, wetness of Gaara's mouth.

Naruto fought not to lose to Gaara's expert experience, and tried to match his movements to Gaara's. Very soon, both men were covered with a thin film of sweat. The sounds of licking, sucking and moaning filled the air. Soon, too soon, Naruto felt a familiar warmth spreading across his lower belly. He felt a tightness in groin, and knew he was at his limit. He tried to pull back to warn Gaara, but felt the red-head's body begin to shake. He clamped his lips down instinctively and, hearing a loud groan from Gaara, felt a warm, slightly bitter substance flood his mouth. With no idea what else to do, he swallowed it. The knowledge of what he had done sent him over the edge, bucking and twitching. Gaara coughed twice, and then released. Shocked by the loss of the warmth, Naruto fell back against the bed. The bed shifted and dipped as Gaara turned around and crawled back to Naruto's side.

Expecting some words, or at least a kiss, Naruto was shocked when he looked over and saw that Gaara was laying with his back facing him. Whether the other man was feeling guilt, embarrassment, regret, or something totally different, Naruto had not a clue. To try to alleviate whether fears he may have had, Naruto rolled to his side, and wrapped an arm around Gaara's waist.

Gaara stiffened, but relaxed when he felt Naruto's lips press against his hair. "Thank you," the blond said. Smiling faintly, Gaara covered his lover's hand with his own, and waited for the sun to rise.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Just a quick update to let you know that I'm still alive.** **And that I own nothing except this computer that I'm typing on.**

* * *

Naruto pried his eyelids apart and asked himself two questions: _What died in my mouth? And why am I naked? _Groaning, he dug his elbows into the mattress and tried to force himself into a sitting position. The room spun around and performed high kicks, convincing the blond that he did not need to move just yet.

"My head," he moaned. "Fucking Kiba. I'm never drinking with him again." A buzzing noise interrupted his mutters and complaints. He looked around for the source of the sound and traced it to his vibrating cell phone. Which was on his bedside table. Plugged in. Lined up neatly with his wallet and keys.

Frowning, because he was pretty sure he came home drunk off his ass and did not put his things away, he wondered briefly if there was a strict fairy looking after him, keeping track of all the things he was sure to forget. His widened, and he sat up slowly, realizing that he did, indeed, have his very own guardian angel.

"Gaara?" he said softly. He swiveled his head slowly, to look around his room. The red head was not there. _Strange, _he thought. The other man had made it a habit to greet him every morning. Frown deepening, Naruto ran his fingers through his hair and yawned. Could something have happened that- Naruto froze, and closed his eyes. He didn't. He couldn't. They didn't... Did they?

The phone buzzed again, and this time, Naruto reached over to pick it up. Squinting, he checked the damage.

_17 text messages._

_8 missed calls._

_3 voice mails._

And every single one of them was from Kiba.

Positioning his fingers, he intended to tap out a message to his feral friend signaling his awakening, but was distracted by the sound of someone pounding on the front door of his apartment. Dropping the phone, he clutched his throbbing head, and almost wept with gratitude when the knocking ceased. Before he could enjoy the silence, however, he heard his name being yelled.

"NARUTO! WHERE ARE YOU?"

_Shit, _Naruto thought. _Did Kiba have to be so loud?_

"My youthful comrade! Are you present in your place of residence?"

_And he brought Lee with him. Dammit._

"I would advise you to keep your voices down," Gaara admonished the men. "Naruto is still sleeping off last night's binge, no thanks to you, Kibble."

"KIBA!"

"Whatever."

Naruto could only imagine the expressions on the faces of the men standing in his apartment. With a heavy sigh, he attempted to crawl out of bed. After several tries, he gave up and lay back down. Pressing a hand to his eyes, he wondered if he could call in dead to the diner, and hoped that Iruka would forgive him for it.

Gaara's voice drifted into him. "He is most likely still sleeping. I will not have you disturb him."

"Shut it, Red! I don't like you being so close to Naruto. I _will_ check on my friend, and you _will not_ stop me!" Kiba barked.

"Such loyalty is a beautiful thing!" Lee's voice joined the ruckus.

"Keep it down, you idiots," Gaara ordered.

Naruto gritted his teeth and sat up, just as the door to his room flew open. Kiba tumbled in, followed closely by Lee and a very unhappy Gaara. Naruto raised a hand and smiled weakly. "Yo," he croaked.

Kiba's eye widened, and his chin hit his chest. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Naruto winced. "Kiba, you're loud," he complained.

"You're naked! Why are you naked?" The brown-haired man whirled around to face Gaara, and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. "You! What'd you do to him? Did you seduce him, you sick bastard?"

"I did nothing to Naruto that he did not ask me to do," Gaara stated.

Lee blushed and averted his gaze. Quickly, he backed out of the room, muttering that so much tension so early in the day was not a youthful endeavor.

Kiba growled, and Gaara smirked. Naruto really just wanted to go back to sleep. Knowing that what he was about to say would only serve to alarm Kiba more gave him pause, but only for a moment.

"Gaara," he said, "you weren't here when I woke up."

Kiba released Gaara's shirt and clapped his hands over his ears. "I'm not hearing this. I'm not hearing this!"

Ignoring the dog-like man, Gaara moved closer to Naruto's bed. He raked his gaze over the blond, and stared pointedly at his lap. Naruto followed his look, and blushed. Pulling a pillow in his lap, the blond shifted uncomfortably. Not missing the gesture of modesty, Gaara looked away, disappointment settling painfully in his stomach.

"I made you breakfast. I'll go get it."

"Thank you," Naruto told the red-head. When Gaara left the room, Naruto placed his face in his hands and tried to figure out what to do next. He heard whimpering, and remembered that he was not alone. "Kiba-"

The brunette shook his head violently. "I'm not hearing this!"

"Kiba!" Naruto shouted forcefully, making himself wince at his own tone. "Shut up and listen."

The brunette lowered his hands. "I have one question for you, Naruto. Did you sleep with him?"

Naruto considered that. "Sleep? Well, yeah, we did sleep at some point.."

"Oh my God, you fucked him!"

"Not exactly.. I don't think. I don't know what to call it, really."

Kiba fixed him with a wary look. "You've been agonizing over this man, worrying about whether or not you're really gay, or if this thing with Sasuke was a fluke, or if it's something else entirely. Now you're telling me you went to bed with this guy?" Kiba's voice rose an octave, and Naruto flinched.

"I'm not sure," the blond admitted. "God, I'm so confused."

"Do you intend to pursue this thing with Red?" Kiba asked him seriously

Naruto thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "I don't know if I can. I think.. I think whatever happened between us last night might have been a mistake."

A clatter from the doorway and the sound of heavy footsteps running away let Naruto know that Gaara had heard every word he had said. "Oh, fuck," Naruto breathed into his hands.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Best I can do. I'm sick again. *weeps***

**I own... nothing. Except maybe my imagination, which disowns me at least once a month.**

* * *

As Gaara ran out of the apartment and down the stairs, he replayed Naruto's comment again and again in his head.

"_..I think whatever happened between us last night might have been a mistake."_

Gaara fought the urge to howl and scream and rip his hair out by the roots. A mistake? Is that what he was to the blond? A mistake? And this after the blond had come on to him! He had thought that they were making progress, that they were becoming.. What exactly?

Gaara slowed his steps as his feet touched the concrete. He dropped heavily onto the bottom step. He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. What exactly did he want from the blond? The question surprised him, and he found that he had no real answer for it. He enjoyed Naruto's company, and he appreciated everything the blond man had done for him. There wasn't anything more; there couldn't be. _Love no one, trust no one._ That had been Gaara's motto for a long Gaara was aware that Naruto's words had hurt him in a place that he did not even remember existing.

Light footsteps behind him pulled Gaara out of his thoughts. He twitched and sighed, pretty sure he knew exactly who it was.

"Is everything alright, my friend?" Lee shouted down to the red-headed man.

"Who the hell is your friend?" Gaara snarled.

"I took the liberty of cleaning the spilled breakfast from the floor! Such a lovely meal has been wasted! What a pity that is!"

"Will you shut up?" Gaara mumbled. He lifted a hand and stroked the red kanji symbol on his forehead. "You are giving me a headache."

Taking that as an invitation, Lee sat down directly behind Gaara, so close that his knees were almost touching the other man's back. He eyeballed the thin clothes the red-head was wearing, and took in the morning chill. "You should return to the apartment and retrieve warmer clothing. To catch a cold in this season would be most unsightly," he offered helpfully.

"I will be fine. I have been in colder places in less clothing. This is nothing." Gaara tangled his fingers in his hair and stared at the empty street. Few cars, and even fewer people, passed by the small food shop. Hidden as he was from the majority of passerby, Gaara took the opportunity to openly observe the city's inhabitants and try not to think about his room mate. Something told him, however, that this weird, green track suit wearing man would not let it go.

"If you do not mind me asking, I would like to know what happened between Naruto and youself?"

Gaara froze, wondering if there was an open field, or maybe a nearby ditch that could hide a corpse. "Obvious, isn't it? He got drunk, we fooled around, and now he is suffering from buyer's remorse. Simple enough?"

Lee stood, angered. "You do not understand anything about the hearts and desires of youth!"

"You are an idiot and you are loud," Gaara countered. He gasped when he felt himself lifted off the step by the back of his thin T-shirt. Squirming, he managed to spin around and knock away the taller man's hand. "What are you doing?"

"No, my friend, what are you doing? You are not the only one in pain."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

Lee sighed. "Because Naruto hates to be alone, because Naruto thinks he can save the world and everyone in it, single-handed, Naruto bears a lot on his shoulders! Every time he tries to save someone, he gets too deeply involved."

"I never asked him to save him. I asked him to let me leave."

"That is exactly my point!"

"What?" Gaara was confused.

Lee tried to explain himself. "By rejecting his help, you are rejecting him. By offering to pay him back, you are rejecting him."

"That's stupid. I am a stranger, not one of his friends."

"He considers you a friend. And, from what I understand, the two of you went bed together last night?"

Gaara slid his gaze away. "He was drunk."

"Naruto cares for you, but he is unsure of himself and his charm. He spent a very long time being alone, without friends, without family, being hated- "

"Hated?"

Lee pressed his lips together, refusing to say more.

Gaara looked at Lee, then allowed his gaze to float up the stairs, towards his home. _His home._ He shivered at the thought that he had found a home, then pushed it away. The more he learned about his blond room mate, the more similarities he saw between the two of them. What was it that Naruto had said last night?

_"I think we both need this right now." _Sighing, Gaara said, mostly to himself, "That idiot."

* * *

"I'm an idiot!" Naruto bellowed. "I knew he was standing there, yet I said that! Oh my God, Kiba, what if he leaves?"

"Do you want him to leave?" Kiba asked, handing his friend a shirt.

"No! Of course not! Thank you," he said, taking the shirt and pulling it over his head. "But he probably hates me now."

"He made you breakfast," Kiba pointed out.

"And then threw it on the floor!" Naruto said.

"Only because he heard you say that whatever happened was a mistake," Kiba said.

"God, I'm an idiot." Naruto tip-toed to the door of his room and peeked out. He saw neither Lee nor Gaara. Stepping out into the main area of his home, he groaned. "See? He's gone! Kiba," the blond whined.

"But Lee's gone, too. They're probably outside."

A horrifying thought ran through Naruto's mind. "What if they're fighting? They can't fight." He sprinted to the door to find shoes, but Kiba grabbed his shoulder and pulled him backwards. Losing his balance, the blond landed painfully on his butt. "OWW!"

Kiba's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "You're the BOTTOM?"

"Shut up, Kiba! Wait. What's a bottom?"

Kiba thrust his hands over his ears. "We are not having this conversation!"

The door opened, and inside stepped a close-lipped Lee and a sullen Gaara. His complexion was paler than usual, and Naruto wondered if his room mate was coming down with something.

"Gaara!" he shouted. "You came back!"

Gaara glared at the loud blond and, after kicking off his shoes, walked past him without a word. He entered his bedroom and closed the door forcefully. Wide eyed, Naruto stared at the display of contempt and whimpered.

"He hates me," he whispered. His big blue eyes filled with tears. He looked to his friends for support. Kiba had his hands clasped tightly to his ears and was humming a song. Lee offered him a thin smile.

"Talk to him," the older man told Naruto. "He needs to hear it from you."

"But I told him about Sasuke," Naruto whimpered.

"All of it? Did you also inform him of why you hate to be alone? Did you tell him why you were drinking all week? Did you tell him about your tattoo?"

Kiba stopped humming, and slowly lowered his ears. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and waited for Naruto to answer. Naruto whipped his head back and forth between his friends.

"Well," he said, "not.. exactly." He fidgeted. "I didn't want him to think badly of me, to hate me like everyone else did before."

"Perhaps confessing the past will serve to deepen the bonds of beautiful youth!"

"But what if it doesn't?"

"But what if it does?"

"Maybe you should tell Gaara the whole story, and then let him decide how he feels," Kiba said thoughtfully.

"Tell me what?" a cold voice asked.

"N-nothing," Naruto stuttered. He blushed and tried not to stare too openly at his suddenly reappearing room mate, for the red-haired man looked especially handsome that morning.

Gaara was dressed in all black; a black, long-sleeved dress shirt, cinched with a black tie, covered his top half. His legs were clad in a pair of hip-hugging black pants. A wide, silver belt encircled his waist. His hair, which had grown out quite a bit, hung in his eyes, covering his tattoo, and giving him the tousled appearance of someone who had just run their fingers through their hair.

"Hot date?" Kiba questioned him.

"Yes," Gaara answered.

"What?" Naruto squeaked.

Gaara sent his glare to the blond, who gulped. "I am on hosting and door duty today. Did you forget? Iruka told me to look nice."

"Oh. Oh, yeah, Hee hee. I forgot." Naruto forced chuckle out of his mouth as his hand reached up to rub the back of his head. "Um, you look.. You look.."

Gaara waved a hand. "I am going to be late. Excuse me."

The three friends watched silently as Gaara walked to the door, put on his shoes, and exited the apartment. No one spoke until the sound of his footsteps faded away. Lee and Kiba communicated through the use of eyebrows, twitches, and head jerks. Kiba, who apparently lost whatever silent war they were having, turned to Naruto. The blond had stumbled to the couch and sank down on the cushions.

"So, Naruto," Kiba started, but the blond spoke, barely above a whisper.

"I think I'm trouble," he said.

Lee and Kiba glanced at each other again. Lee asked the blond, "Is something the matter, Naruto?"

With a haunted look in his eyes, the blond man looked at his friends. "I don't know what to do. I don't know if he likes me, or if he feels like he owes me something, or if this is just a way to pass the time, or-"

"But," Kiba broke in, "YOU'RE the one who said that last night was a mistake."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Naruto flinched at the sound of his own voice. He lowered his head into his hands. "I didn't mean it like that," he repeated, softly this time.

"Hey, Naru-"

"I think I really might be falling in love with him, and I don't know what to do about it."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I was hit with a combination of writer's block and typer's pain. My hands _STILL_ hurt, which is why this chapter is so short. Thanks for waiting! I promise, the next one will be longer.**

**And if I owned Naruto, I probably wouldn't have $9 bank balance that I do.**

* * *

"Oh my God! He is so cute!" a pony-tailed blond squealed.

"I dunno," said her dark-haired friend. "He seems a little.. off."

"I th-think he c-can hear us," a pale-eyed girl whispered.

Three sets of female eyes gazed at Gaara while he struggled to keep a straight face. He felt his eye twitch with annoyance and irritation. Pretending to stretch, he stared at the clock and almost groaned. His shift was only half over. In the four hours that he had been on duty, he'd been oogled, whistled at, flirted with, and even smacked on the butt, though only once. He had received four phone numbers – three women and one man – and had been asked countless times if he was single. The three young women waiting to be seated were only the latest in what seemed to be a never-ending line of nosy, flirtatious people.

Catching the signal from the bus boy, he nodded, and grabbed three of the large, laminated menus. Stepping out from behind the podium he was stationed at, he dipped his head slightly at the chattering and blushing women.

"This way." He started walking, not bothering to see if they were following him. Hopefully, they were not staring at his butt like most of the people he had seated had done. He despised acting as host and greeter, but Iruka always offered more money for the position. Seeing as how Gaara's livelihood was basically at the mercy of the scarred man, he swallowed his protests and did the job. Today, however, Gaara was especially irritated; he had the added drama of worrying about his chances with Naruto plummeting to nothing.

Stopping at a booth, he slapped the menus down on the wooden table. Without glancing at the women, he rattled off the days' special offers in a bored, monotone voice. He informed them that their server with be with them momentarily, and turned on his heel to go. As he was leaving, he heard the women start up a conversation, presumably about him.

"Ugh. So rude!"

"But he's hot! Who cares?"

"I th-think that m-maybe he's j-just h-having a bad day. Maybe. I think."

Balling his hands into fists, he strolled as casually as he could away from the gossiping women. His head was beginning to throb, and he had a feeling that his bad day was going to get exponentially worse.

Just as he returned to the podium, he heard Iruka call out to him.

"Gaara," the man said pleasantly, "you should take your break now."

Gaara shook his head. "I am fine."

"Nonsense," Iruka said as he walked up tot he younger man. Clapping a hand on the younger man's shoulder, he smiled and stated, "You have been standing here for four hours. I'll take over. Go ahead; get some lunch."

"I do not need-"

"That's an order, Gaara."

The red-head sighed, and then grunted in the affirmative. Walking quickly, he managed to escape the longing looks and shyly waving hands of several patrons. As he reached the back of the restaurant, he mentally shook himself, telling himself not to dwell anymore on the blond that he shared a home with. The entire situation was making his head hurt more than usual. Placing a pale hand on the swinging door, he pushed it open and slipped inside of the noisy, overly warm kitchen.

He greeted Chouji, the young chef, with a grimace. "Iruka told me to order lunch."

"Sure," the healthy man said enthusiastically. He was always happy to discuss his favorite subject: food. "What'll it be?"

Gaara opened his mouth to, but froze as a flash of yellow and orange caught his eye. He turned slowly to the visual disturbance and groaned.

Naruto was hunched over the sink, washing the dishes.

When he heard Gaara's voice, he gently rinsed off the plate he was scrubbing, and placed it in the drying rack. Removing the elbow length rubber gloves and tossing them on the wet counter, he turned to greet his friend.

"Gaara!" he exclaimed.

"How long have you been here?" Gaara demanded.

Naruto scrunched up his face in concentration. "Just a couple of hours. Iruka called me, saying he needed some boxes unloaded form the truck. When I finished that, he told me that I might as well stay and be useful."

"So that is why I did not see you when you came in," Gaara muttered mostly to himself.

The blond rubbed the back of his head, frowning. "Um, Gaara.. Can we talk?"

"There is nothing to be said."

"But, Gaara!" the blond man whined.

"Um, I hate to interrupt this chat of yours, but Gaara? Did you want something to eat?"

"Nevermind, Chouji," Gaara said. "I am no longer hungry."

The big man gasped and started to weep. How could anyone turn down food? How could anyone not be hungry? "Are you sure?" he asked shakily. "I could make you something light. A couple of chili cheeseburgers with a side of cheese fries, maybe?"

Gaara shook his head, feeling the red character on his forehead throb. "I need some air." He stalked past Naruto without a backward glance, headed for the service entrance. When the red-haired man was out of sight, Chouji whirled around to face a sheepish Naruto.

"What'd you do to him?"

"Huh? What makes you think I did something to Gaara?"

"He was going to eat until he saw you. And now he doesn't want to eat! What have you done?"

"But I didn't-"

"FIX IT! FIX IT AND MAKE HIM EAT!"

Naruto backed away from the chef, fear splashed across his face. He threw his hands up to protect himself from the wrath of the large man. "Okay, okay. I'll go after him." He removed his apron, tossing it onto the sink to join his gloves. "If Iruka asks, tell him I went to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"FIX IT!"

"I'm going!" Shaking his head, Naruto followed the path that Gaara took.

* * *

**Sorry if there are typos and such. I typed this really fast while I could.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Short chapter. Sorry for the wait. I promise the next chapter will be longer. I've been working on my resume and doing the job hunting thing, so my time for this has been cut considerably. Sorry!**

**And I still don't own _Naruto_ or any of it's charcters. I only own the twisted things I can make them do.**

* * *

Gaara pressed his forehead against the cool brick wall. He wished, not for the first time, that he had taken up a hobby. Smoking, for example. At least then he would have something to occupy his hands; perhaps then the need to form a fist and punch the hell out of something would fade.

His head was pounding. The ghosts of events long past were whispering to him, and the resulting cacophony was enough to make his vision blur and his ears feel as if they were bleeding.

"_You're a monster," _the voice taunted him.

"Shut up," Gaara growled. He balled his hands into tight fists, and slammed them against the dumpster he was hiding behind. "SHUT UP!"

"_You're just a mistake, a screw up, a fuck up. No one loves you. No one will believe you."_

"SHUT UP!" Gaara pounded his fists against the dumpster, the wall, his own head. Flashes of memory raced through his mind with each punch.

"_I paid a lot of money for you, boy. Strip, and let me see what I own."_

"_You fuck up! You owe me. Pay it back with your body!"_

"_Do you have any idea how much you're costing me?"_

"_I don't love you. Who would?"_

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Gaara screamed. He lashed out, sending his fists toward anything solid. He needed to feel the pain. He needed to clear his head. He needed the voices, the memories, to just shut up.

"Hey, Gaa-" The greeting was not completed, because Gaara's fist connected with the greeter's face. Panting, Gaara tried to see through the fog covering his eyes, trying to figure out who he had hit.

"Fuck, that HURT! Gaara! You hit me!" Naruto whined. The blond gingerly swiped at his nose, checking for blood. Seeing none, he approached the shaking red head cautiously. "Gaara?" he inquired, reaching for his roommates shoulder. "Hey, Gaara, are you okay?"

"Don't touch me," Gaara hissed through clenched teeth. "Just go away."

"I can't do that," Naruto answered, shaking his head. "I need to talk to you."

"This is neither the time nor the place. Just. Go. Please."

"Gaara," Naruto said, stepping closer. "Is this another of those.. episodes you have? Let me help."

"NO!" Gaara shouted. "Just go. I hurt you again. I keep hurting you. I can't be around you."

"Gaara, come one. Trust me. It's alright if you hurt me. Let me help you."

"NO!" Gaara swung blindly, narrowly missing punching Naruto a second time. "It's not like you really need me here. I'm just some pity project you've taken on."

"That's – that's not true!" Naruto felt his chest tighten. "How can you think that?"

"After all," Gaara continued without missing a beat, "I'm just a 'mistake' to you. Aren't you?"

Naruto's mouth fell open. He knew that he should not have made that comment with Gaara in hearing range, but he was so confused that morning. He knew that his feelings for the man were changing, escalating, and he had no idea how to deal with it. He had not felt anything close to what he felt for the red head since Sasuke had left.

"Shit," Naruto whispered. The blond man kicked the dumpster in frustration. How could he explain his reluctance, fear, and apprehension at being close to people? How could he make Gaara understand?

"So just leave me alone. Please?" Gaara's voice cracked on the last word. He slowly loosened his fists and dropped his arms. His vision cleared, and he avoided looking at the blond. He tried to calculate how long he had been outside, but was coming up blank.

Naruto turned a defeated expression toward his – what was Gaara, exactly? His roommate? His friend? His lover? - and sighed. "Gaara," he said in a low voice. "I have to talk to you."

"I have to get back to work. And so do you." Gaara reached for the keypad set in the wall, intended to enter to code and let himself back into the restaurant. He froze when he felt Naruto's fingers close around his wrist. "Let go."

Naruto shook his head. "No," he said. "I can't. Not until you listen."

"Iruka will be angry if we are late."

"Iruka will understand. Gaara, please!" Gaara lifted his gaze to the bright blue orbs of the blond, and was lost.

Swiftly, Gaara closed the distance between them, and captured the lips of the blond with his own. He allowed his tongue to slip past Naruto's lips and teeth, and taste the blond deeply. Naruto responded in kind, deepening their joining. He released Gaara's wrist and, grabbing the red head's hips, yanked Gaara to him, pressing their bodies together.

"Gaara," he moaned into the other man's mouth. "I really did want to talk."

"And we really do have to be back inside," Gaara said.

"What happened last night," Naruto said, pulling away from Gaara's lips and planting kisses along the red-haired man's jaw. "It wasn't a mistake."

"It – it wasn't?" Gaara asked softly.

"Gaara," Naruto said, pulling the other man's face close to his. "I think – I think I'm falling in love you."

Gaara inhaled sharply and pushed the blond away from him. "I do not have time for your jokes, Naruto. I'm going back to work." Angrily jabbing the keypad, Gaara punched in the code and yanked the door open. Storming inside, he allowed the heavy door to slam shut behind him.

Flabbergasted, Naruto sputtered at the space that Gaara had occupied only seconds before. "Now what'd I do wrong?" he wondered aloud.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to do this chapter. Some people may be disappointed but I think this is an important turning point and should be included. **

**And no, I still do not own Naruto. Unfortunately.**

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By the end of November, Gaara was in agony. He watched his normally bubbly, blond roommate descend into drunken darkness and felt guilty, knowing that it was mostly his fault. He ignored Naruto when they were alone together at home, and treated him as someone as uninteresting as "the help" when they were at work. Naruto, for his part, refused to give up, even if his efforts were becoming halfhearted and dull.

Gaara rolled to his side on the thin, recently acquired mattress that served as his bed, and winced. The forlorn look on Naruto's face after his most recent rejection sting him. He tried ot push it out of his mind, but the wound was still too fresh.

The previous evening, Gaara was on host duty at the diner again, and Naruto was acting as bus boy. After giving the table he was clearing one final swipe, he waved his arm to catch Gaara's attention. When the thickly lined eyes turned on him, Naruto used a series of hand signals and signs to inform the red head that tables 6,7 and 12 were ready for customers. He also included a quick request to speak privately with Gaara, but the red head pointedly ignored it, and turned back to the podium he was stationed at the make a note on the large, dry-erase seating chart spread out in front of him. Gaara tried to ignore the sound of Naruto slamming the tub of dirty dishes onto the cart he was using for transport, and failed. He turned back toward the blond just in time to see a sad, distant expression mar Naruto's face. Gaara's hand moved on its own to clutch at his chest. He had developed a sudden, aching pain in his heart, and he did not know why.

Sighing, Gaara sat up in the darkness of his room. He knew that staying near Naruto after rejecting his confession would only cause problems, but he still did not have anywhere else to go. Worse yet, Gaara got the feeling that he did not want to leave. His eyes strayed to the dark corner where he kept his pills hidden, wondering if he should make up for the doses he had skipped over the last few days. With any luck, the darkness would overcome him soon, and Naruto would have the perfect excuse to throw him out.

Crawling to the corner, Gaara dug around in the dark corner and unearthed the brown bottle. Curling his fingers loosely around it, he pushed himself off the floor and stood unsteadily. With resolve and regret, he quietly pulled open his door and stepped out into the apartment. A quick glance around told him that Naruto had not yet made it home from whatever bar he was most likely in that night. Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, Gaara rushed to the bathroom, twisting open the white cap as he went.

Stumbling into the bathroom, he landed on his knees before the toilet, and upended the bottle into the water. Shaking now, he almost changed his mind and fished them back out. Instead, he used both hands to reach up and press the silver handle. The roar of the spinning water sent a shudder through him, and he felt bile burn a path from his stomach to his throat.

"_Monster," _the voice whispered to him. _"What have you done?"_

"Fuck off," he ordered the ghostly annoyance. "It's my life. I decide how to live it."

"_Mistake," _the voice said. _"You were a mistake. You should have died. You poison everything around you. MONSTER!"_

"Shut up!" Gaara screamed weakly. His heart beat rapidly, making his dizzy. He flushed the toilet again to reassure himself and, grabbing the sides of the bowl, pulled himself to his feet. The sound of Naruto's key rattling in the lock caught his attention, and he drifted out of the bathroom, wondering what to say to the person that he had been ignoring.

After dropping his house key five times, it still took Naruto three tries before he managed to fit it into the lock. Frowning and squinting in concentration, he twisted the key back and forth, trying to remember how to unlock the door to his home. Beside him was Kiba; the dog-like man kept leaning forward, trying to help his inebriated friend, by the blond shrugged off his attentions.

"Naruto," Kiba sighed, "just let me do it-"

"No," Naruto slurred, swinging his head from side to side so viciously that he almost fell over. "Don need no hep-hep-help," he sounded out slowly. He thumped his chest with his free hand. "I'mma big boy now."

"Naru-"

"NO!" A soft _click _filled the air as the lock disengaged, and Naruto hooted triumphantly. "HA! See? I don't need you, Kiba." The blond bent his head to hide his face ad added, softly, "I don't need anyone. I'm better off alone."

Kiba's sharp ears picked up his friends mutterings, but he did not want to believe what he had heard. "What?" he asked cautiously. The blond shook his head, refusing to repeat his inner most, private thoughts.

Kiba watched Naruto remove his key from the lock, push open the door, and stumble inside his dark home. The blond tripped over a pair of sneakers blocking the entrance, and landed loudly and painfully on his backside. Shrugging, Naruto lifted his legs one at a time to wrestle his shoes off of his feet. He feel over on the first try, and hastily righted himself.

Kiba stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Fuck, Naru-"

"No, Kiba. I can do this. See?" With a flourish, he removed his shoe and tossed it into the pile by the door. He raised two fingers in a V for victory and smiled his customary grin. "Mission complete!"

Closing his eyes, Kiba tried to choose his words carefully, but what came out was "Fuck, Naruto! I hate when you do that."

Confused, the blond asked, "Do what?"

"This! That! That stupid grin of yours when things go wrong. Why don't you ever let us help you? You always try to take everything on your own shoulders."

"Because I have to," Naruto said clearly, sobering up quickly. "I can't burden anyone with my-"

"Fuck that, Naruto!" Kiba spat, looming over the blond. "I'm your friend, right? Sai, Lee, and me.. We're your friends! Why won't you let us help? This is all because of Red, isn't it? That asshole moved in here-"

"Stop it, Kiba," Naruto said quietly, but Kiba was not listening.

"-drinking all the time," Kiba contiuned. "Why? Where's the asshole? I'm throwing him out."

"FUCK OFF, KIBA!" Naruto screamed. The dog-like man fell silent in shock. With tears filling his eyes, Naruto begged his friend for one favor. "Go home, Kiba. Please? Just.. go."

"Why, Naruto? Why do you always try to do things alone?"

"Because I have no choice," Naruto whispered. "I've always been alone. My parents died when I was a kid and left me with that murdering asshole, Kyuubi. Then he goes and gets locked up, and I live don the streets until Uncle Jiraiya found me. Then when he goes and kicks the bucket, Iruka was nice enough to let me stay here under the condition that I work for my room and board. I let Sasuke move in here, and that bastard left me, too!" His tears flowed freely now. "Why don't I force Gaara to make a decision, you asked me that at the bar, right? Why? Because I'm scared. I'm scared that if I push hum, he'll leave me, too!"

Kiba bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed. Naruto's words hit him like a ton of bricks. "But we're – I'm – your friend.. Right? So why can't I help you?"

"When I meet all of you guys, none of you liked me. You'd grown up hearing the stories about Kyuubi, and the kid raised by a demon. Admit it, Kiba. You hated me. Just like everybody else."

"But I like you now!"

"But it's still there, in the back of your mind. Your biggest fear is that one day I'll freak out and go on a rampage like Kyuubi did, and then you'll be forced to hunt me down. And because of that, I'm still alone, even when I'm with all of you guys."

"Naruto!"

"Go home, Kiba." Naruto raised himself onto his knees, and gently pushed his friend out of the door. Closing and locking it, Naruto pulled himself to a complete standing position. Using his sleeve to clean his face, he clutched his stomach with his free hand. He felt the evening's drinks rebelling against his digestive system. Turning, he started toward the bathroom, but was stopped in his tracks by the sight of a slightly disheveled, wide-eyed Gaara standing right in front of the bathroom door.

"Naruto," Gaara said in his raspy voice.

"You.. you heard that, didn't you?"

His eyes flicking to the floor, Gaara nodded slowly.

Throat and chest burning, Naruto ran past the red-haired man and rushed into the bathroom. He lifted the seat just as the contents of his stomach came roaring out of him. As he coughed and gagged into the bowl, Gaara stood silently over him, watching and waiting to catch him should he fall.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Whoo hoo! 2 for the price of 1. Probably full of typos, because I'm tired and need new glasses. Oh, and don't hurt me for this. Thanks in advance.**

**Still don't own Naruto. Dammit.**

* * *

After flushing away his shame, Naruto laid his cheek against the cool, porcelain bowl and tried to calm his breathing. When he thought of Gaara hearing about his crude past, he felt the urge to heave again. He sat forward, a harsh cough wracking his body. Nothing came out, though it felt to him that he'd lost a leats one of his lungs. His throat burned, and his mouth felt fuzzy. He was closing his eyes again when a damp, cool cloth was pressed against his face.  
"Gaara?" the blond man rasped. Gaara grunted in response, and continued cleaning the sweat and flecks of stuff from Naruto's face. "Gaara," he rasped again.

"Shh," the other man shushed him. "Your throat probably hurts. Here," he said, removing the cloth and pressing a cup against Naruto's lips. "Water. Drink it."

Obediently, Naruto took a few experimental sips. When his stomach failed to protest, he gratefully grabbed the plastic tumbler with both hands and drained it in one long gulp. Hiccuping, he craned his neck to peer up at the faintly outlined redhead.

"Thank you," he said as he struggled to his feet. "I'll get out of your way now." He swayed, but did not fall thanks to a pair of thin, strong arms that grabbed him around his waist. He stared into the darkness, wishing he could see Gaara's face clearly. "Sorry," he apologized, "for causing you trouble."

"Stop it," Gaara snapped. He looked away and murmured, "If anyone should apologize, it should be me. Is this.. my fault?" He loosened an arm from Naruto's waist and gestured toward the toilet. "Did I do this to you?"

Naruto sighed, then forced a smile. "Nah," he said. "S'not your fault." He freed himself from Gaara's grip and leaned against the wall as nonchalantly as he could in his drunken state. "I should shower.. get cleaned up. I probably smell like I feel into a vat of sour beer! Heh." He tried to make light of the situation, but Gaara could hear the strain and pain in the blond's voice.

He frowned. "Do you need help?"

Naruto shook his head, then realized Gaara might not be able to see the action. "Nah," he said. "I'm good. Really. Good night, I guess? Or is it morning already?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed himself off the wall and staggered toward the shower. Opening the door, he fumbled with the controls until a spray of water splashed into the tub. "Shower time!" he sang. He started removing his clothes and tried to test the water at the same felt himself slipping, but once again, was saved by Gaara's swift catch.

"Having the light on might help," Gaara gently admonished the blond.

Naruto blinked uncomprehendingly. "Light?" He twisted his neck and squinted up at the ceiling. "Ooooooh," he drawled. "The light!" He bobbed his head up and down in agreement. "I forgot about that. Heh." He waited for Gaara to release him, then resumed dressing and preparing to take a shower in the dark. With a sigh, Gaara crossed the small room and flicked the switch. The overheard sprang to life and Naruto screamed.

"I'm blind! I'm blind! Help! HELP!" He flailed around helplessly. His shirt swung from his neck and his pants and underwear were bunched around his knees, tangled together. Watching him, Gaara felt a corner of his mouth lift and twitch. He did not want to laugh at Naruto's current situation, but the blond looked so ridiculous hopping around half-dressed and covering his eyes that Gaara could not help himself.

With a snort, he forced down his amusement and crossed the small bathroom. Grabbing Naruto's shirt, he yanked up it upwards, and over the blond's head. Bending down, he unfastened the belt, and worked the tangled jeans and underwear down past Naruto's knees. Kneeling on the floor, he gently lifted first one foot, then the other, and freed Naruto from his pants and socks. On his knees, Gaara found his face level with Naruto's semi-erect member. Swallowing his sudden desire, he stood, grabbed an elbow, and maneuvered the blond into the running shower.

"Fuck!" Naruto cursed as the water struck his head and body. "That's cold!"

"Hurry and wash, then," Gaara snapped, trying to avoid staring at the well-sculpted flesh. "I'll wait for you, then help you to bed."

A few moments passed in silence, save for the sound of splashing water, and Naruto gargling and spitting. The scent of Naruto's spicy soap filled Gaara's nostrils, and he inhaled deeply, almost without realizing he was doing it. He was tempted - very tempted - to strip off his own clothing and leap into the shower. Only a sudden twinge of pain in his head stilled his movement.

Gaara rubbed his tattoo, willing the noise in his head keep the volume at a dull roar. Naruto needed him. Him, Gaara the monster, and he refused to let some dead man's voice ruin the moment for him. He chuckled dryly, though, amused by the situation.

"What's so funny?" Naruto called, poking his head out of the open door.

"You and I are both so screwed up," Gaara remarked to his housemate.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "Say, Gaara?"

"Hm?"

"Do you.. wanna join me?"

"Naruto, that's not funny."

"I'm not laughing, am I?"

Gaara faced the blond in disbelief. "Are you going to proposition me every time you get drunk?" he asked n a voice laced with disgust.

Offended, Naruto responded, "Didn't you proposition me first?"

Gaara grimaced. "I suppose I did," he grudgingly admitted. "Is this your revenge?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Naruto replied, shutting off the water. Gaara handed him the fluffy orange towel hanging from the rack.

"How did you mean it?" Gaara asked, bending down to retrieve the discarded articles from the floor. He had scooped up most of them when he felt a pair of arms snake around his waist. "Naruto?" he questioned.

"Hey, Gaara.. You know, I did mean what I said to you that day."

Cautiously, Gaara asked quietly, "What day? What did you say?"

"I think.. No.. I - I love you, Gaara. Please stay with me? Please?"

"Naruto," Gaara breathed the blond's name. He dropped the clothes in his hands and spun around to stare at the other man. Naruto's eyes shone with unshed tears, and Gaara felt his chest tighten. He gasped, and massaged the offending part. "What - what is this feeling? Why does my chest feel so tight when I'm with you?"

"I think .. maybe .. you love me, too?" Naruto's statement came out as a hopeful question. Shyly, he gazed into Gaara's eyes, hoping to see the answer.

"I .. love.. you?" Gaara repeated in wonder. "This.. this is love?"

"I think so," Naruto agreed.

Breathing hard through his nose, Gaara swallowed several times before he trusted himself to speak. "What happens now?" he asked, his hand automatically going to his tattoo.

"You kiss me?" Naruto suggested. He dropped his towel, revealing his water-speckled body. Gaara raked his gaze up and down, and searched the blond's face for permission. Naruto nodded his head, and stepped forward, lips already parted. Gaara met him halfway; his tongue was eager to taste and explore the other man's mouth. His hands trembled and his fingers twitched at the thought of finally touching that body again.

He pulled Naruto close to him, trying his best to meld the two of them together into one person. Naruto responded in kind, pulling at Gaara's threadbare t-shirt and slipping into his baggy sweatpants to stroke him awake. Gaara moaned into Naruto's mouth.

Pulling away from the kiss, gasping for breath, Naruto murmured, "My room?" But before Gaara could agree, a sharp pain sliced through his head, dropping him to his knees. Stunned by the loss of contact, Naruto blinked and shuddered. When his vision cleared, he realized that Gaara was on the floor, wincing in pain.

"Gaara?" He kneeled toward the other man. "Gaara? Gaara. GAARA!"

The red head had begun to twitch and was chanting over and over again, "Fuck you. Get out of my head. Fuck you. Get out of my head."

"Hey, Gaara! Are you okay?" Concern marred his features and his heart rate sped up. He touched Gaara's shoulder, only to have the red-haired man flinch and pull away. Hurt by the rejection, Naruto grabbed his towel and tied it around his waist, covering his nakedness. "Come on, Gaara," he coaxed. "Let's at least get you to the couch." He reached for his lover again, only to have his hand slapped away.

"So-sorry," Gaara forced out through his clenched jaw. "Sorry... Naruto.. Love.." He did not manage to finish whatever he was trying to say as the darkness picked that moment to reach up and greet him.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Ok, my lovelies. One more chapter for the super special update. Because you are all beautiful people who like to review, I wrote one more. I think I can go to sleep now. Enjoy!**

**And no, dammit, I don't own Naruto, so stop asking.**

* * *

"_Hey, kid!" called a scary-looking man. "You Gaara?"_

_Black-rimmed eyes flicked to the left and upward to take in the appearance of the loud stranger. "Not a kid," Gaara rasped. "And who wants to know?"_

_The man stuck out his hand. "Name's Shukaku. You _are _Gaara, correct?"_

"_Even if I was, I wouldn't tell you."_

_Shukaku's laughter sounded like a dog's barking; there was no mirth contained it. He nodded to himself. "Yeah, you're Gaara. And you're coming with me. I own you now, little monster. You should be grateful for what I'm about to do."_

_Gaara slipped off the low wall he was perched on, landing easily on his feet. Taking a defensive stance, he narrowed his and prepared to fight. "You should be careful, Shukaku. My father-"_

"_Eh, your father?" The man barked again. "And who do you think I paid my hard-earned money to? I. Own. You."_

_Shocked, but somehow not entirely surprised, Gaara let his arms fall to his sides. He let the strange man lead him away without so much as a backward glance at what used to be his home._

"Gaara, wake up. Please? Wake up, okay?"

"_Shukaku, stop. It hurts." Gaara was rewarded for his request with a sharp slap to the head._

"_Shut up, you. You lost again. Again! Do you know how much money I spent setting this fight up?"_

"_I'm sorry. I'll do better next time. But this.. this is too much. Stop. Please." Gaara squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the weight of Shukaku on his back. His hips hurt, his legs felt rubbery, and his wrists were sore from the rope that tied them together. _

"_When you win, we get paid, and we can live good. But when you lose, you have to pay for your food and clothing somehow, don't cha? Now shut your mouth and stop clenching! Let me IN!" With a roar, he pushed into Gaara's body. Gaara bit his lip to stop the sobs from leaking out. He could do nothing about the tears that fell._

"Gaara, hey, Gaara. Come on. You're scaring me."

_The bell dinged loudly as the crowd sat in stunned silence. People wearing shirts that said "medic" or "security" removed the broken body of the fallen man from the cage. Gaara sat in a corner, cleaning the blood from his nails, waiting to be declared the victor. _

_Shukaku stormed to the entrance, red-faced and swearing. "You little shit!"_

"_I won, didn't I?" Gaara asked, not bothering to look up._

"_And what if he dies?"_

"_Then you should be careful, Shukaku, because if he dies, that means I can kill you, too."_

"GAARA!"

Gaara felt something warm and moist on his face. He heard, dimly, someone calling his name. "Naruto?" he whispered. But it could not be true. Naruto could not be here, in this hell, with him.

"_My God, Gaara! What's happened to you?" The blond woman covered her mouth with her hands, forcing back sobs. _

_Dully, Gaara stared across the table at his siblings, Temari and Kankuro. Their father stood several feet away, unwilling to move any closer to the son that he threw away. Gaara grinned; it was a horrible smile, full of rage and promising pain. "What happened to me? Ask him. Ask your father what he did to me."_

_The elder Sabaku shook his head. "You're where you belong. You're an animal, a monster. This proves it."_

_In a flash, Gaara was across the table and sitting on his father's chest. He slammed his fist into the elder Sabaku's face, smiling broader with every cry of pain the man released. _

"_Gaara, no!" Temari and Kankuro tried to pry their younger brother from their father, but he was too strong for them. He merely shrugged them off, and continued to punch and scratch at the man who ruined his life._

"_Die," Gaara hissed. "DIE!"_

"Gaara? Oh, good, you're waking up." Gaara opened to his eyes to see bright blue orbs directly in front of him. With a jolt, he realized the blond was straddling him. Naruto's face was pressed against his; his lips hovered very near.

"You.. what did you do? What happened?" He sat up, gently pushing Naruto off his lap and looked around. They were in Naruto's room, he realized, lying on the bed. The blond had neglected to put on any clothing, and was still clad only in a towel. Heat rose in Gaara's cheeks until he remembered his dreams. He shuddered and ran his hand across his face, trying to removed the ghosts of his past. His lips felt swollen and full, and he had an idea of why. He sent an inquiring look to Naruto, who blushed and looked away.

"I didn't know how else to wake you," the blond mumbled.

"So you kissed me like I was princess in some fairy tale?" Gaara touched his lips with a trembling finger. "Thank you," he said, turning to the man who had captured his heart. He reached over to caress Naruto's cheek, forcing the blond to look at him. "Should I return the favor?"

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, concern coloring his words.

"No," Gaara answered honestly, "but I think with your help, I might be, one day."

"One day," Naruto whispered in agreement. He opened his arms at the same time he opened mouth, pulling Gaara toward him, and sealing their deal with a soft press of his lips. Gaara hungrily returned the kiss, then pulled away with a frown.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said.

Naruto smirked. "I should be saying that you. I'm still kind of new at this."

"In a way," Gaara admitted, "so am I."

Naruto slipped his hands underneath Gaara's shirt to stroke his stomach. He slipped the shirt upward, letting his fingers trace every scar, every muscle, every part of Gaara's body. Gaara shivered, and lifted his arms obediently, allowing the thin shirt to be pulled over his head. Free from the material, he let Naruto plant kisses on his neck and his collarbone, and almost yelped when he felt Naruto's tongue drag a wet circle around his nipple.

"Lay down," Naruto ordered the red head, and Gaara was happy to oblige. He felt steady hands work his pants down past his hips, past his knees, and off his feet. When he was completely nude, he reached for the towel around Naruto's waist, only to find it missing. Not to be outdone, he tried to pull Naruto to him, but the blond refused.

"Let me," he murmured, pushing Gaara back down on the bed. He used his hands and mouth to tease and pleasure his red-haired lover, leaving behind wet trails and small marks, and being rewarded with moans and thrusts of Gaara's hips. When he reached the stiff member, Naruto touched a tentative finger to the glistening tip.

Gaara's eyes flew open. "You don't have to.."

"I said, 'let me', did I not?"

"But-"

"Watch me. I mean it. Watch me." Keeping his eyes on Gaara's, Naruto positioned himself, and lowered his mouth to taste his lover.

Gaara bucked with the contact, and dug his fingers into Naruto's hair, partly to steady himself. He did not want to finish quickly, but for someone with little experience, Naruto was a fast learner. Whenever Gaara moaned, Naruto took note of the exact spot and did it again. He goal seemed to be to make Gaara scream with pleasure. Never taking their eyes off of each other, the two men fought for dominance. Gaara fought to maintain his control, and Naruto fought to wrest it away. Gaara felt the pressure build up and, with a strangled cry, lost their tug of war. His body went limp, and his eyes fluttered closed. He barely acknowledged the moment when Naruto released him and crawled back to his side.

Naruto smiled, and planted a chaste kiss on Gaara's lips. "Sleep well," he told his groggy lover.

"Naruto," Gaara whispered. "I.. I love you.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: So, um... Yeah. **

**I own nothing. *sobs***

* * *

_2__ Weeks __Later_

Naruto studied his red-haired lover through the glass window, observing Gaara as he handed out flyers and coupons in the cold. He was looking for a sign, he guessed; a sign that Gaara was in some way breaking down. Sure, the last couple of weeks had been great; Gaara talked more and seemed to sleep more, but Naruto knew that something rather dangerous was lurking beneath the calm exterior.

The blond slipped his hand in his pocket, feeling the object he had been carrying around since that morning he and Gaara had woken up in each other's arms. The memory of Gaara's declaration of love always warmed Naruto, but his face fell every time he remembered what happened next.

Naruto had woken up that morning, feeling fuzzy and slightly hung over. And warm. He opened his eyes and smiled at the red-haired man who was watching him sleep.

"Morning, Gaara," he had said.

"Good morning, Naruto," Gaara rasped.

"So... Does this mean we're, like, officially boyfriends now?"

"Boyfriends," Gaara repeated, testing the word with his tongue. "Perhaps it does."

"Then maybe I should kiss you?" the blond teased, scooting closer to Gaara's lips, only to be stopped by a hand to the face. "What?" he complained.

"Brush your teeth first," Gaara ordered, rolling away.

Groaning, Naruto climbed over Gaara - making sure to rub against him - and slid his feet to the floor. He turned back and made puppy eyes at his boyfriend. "Just one kiss?"

Gaara said, "No," and made shooing motions with his free hand. His other hand was busy straightening the twisted bed covers and pulling them over his hips. With a pronounced pout, Naruto slunk sadly out of the room, missing the smile that flashed across Gaara's face.

Just outside the bathroom, the blond haired man discovered a unbearable pressure on his bladder and rushed to stand before the porcelain god. His foot brushed something soft, and he nearly screamed in the darkness, and then he realized that he had stepped on his pants.

"Oh," he said, relived, "I left my clothes and stuff in here last night." Shaking his head at himself, he flipped the lid of the toilet up and released his discomfort into the bowl. Almost moaning with pleasure as his bladder emptied, Naruto squinted in the darkness at the carnage on the floor. Sighing, he jiggled himself to shake off the last drops, and then flushed. Turning away from the toilet, he stepped carefully around his clothes and deposited himself at the sink to wash his hands. He pumped soap into his hands, and opened the taps. Scrubbing vigorously, he knew that he could not put off the clean up of the bathroom forever. On the other hand, all he really had to do was brush his teeth and go back to bed.

Turning off the hot water and leaving the cold running, he grabbed his toothbrush and the toothpaste. Squirting a blue glob on the brush, he shoved it into his mouth and worked it around, playing close attention to his back teeth and tongue. Satisfied the his breath was now minty fresh, he spat, rinsed, spat again, and replaced his toothbrush in the holder.

With wet hands, he flicked on the light to see better. With a slight grimace, he realized that he had used Gaara's toothbrush, but supposed that it didn't matter now that they were boyfriends - he giggled at the thought - and surveyed the damage he had done to the floor. It looked as if a small closet had exploded in the bathroom, flinging its contents every which way.

Naruto removed his orange boxer briefs from the shower and slipped those on. His pants, which were next to the toilet, had spilled the contents of their pockets when they fell. The blond dropped to his knees to collect his keys, wallet and spare change. He spotted his phone behind the toilet, and when he stretched his arm out to retrieve it, his fingers brushed something roundish and hard. Curious, Naruto hooked his fingers around it and pulled it to him.

It was a prescription pill bottle, which Naruto found weird, as he did not keep any drugs in the house. Holding the brown bottle up to his face, his eyes widened as he took in the name on the label. Shaking and confused, he tried to decipher what the information typed on the label could mean for him.

The sound of footsteps made him jump, and he hurriedly shoved the bottle into the bundle of clothes in his arms. He stood and spun around, slamming his lips into Gaara's before the redhead could say anything.

Pulling back from the kiss, Gaara asked, breathlessly, "Is everything alright, Naruto?"

"Great," the blond answered with a bright smile.

"Good," Gaara said. He raised a hand to brush some stray strands of hair from Naruto's forehead, and was dismayed when the blond man flinched. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked his lover.

Swallowing hard, Naruto said, "Uh, yeah. Just.. a headache! You know, slightly hungover and stuff. Heh." He flashed another grin and kissed Gaara on the cheek. "Are you coming back to bed?"

"In a few."

"I'll be waiting," Naruto replied in a singsong voice. He pushed past Gaara and dashed back into his room. He waited until he heard the bathroom door close before he dumped his clothes into a pile on the floor. Keeping an ear on Gaara's movement, Naruto held the empty pill bottle in one hand while he searched the mess on his dresser for door tag that Gaara had filled out and Naruto had forgotten to hang outside. Finding it, he unfolded it carefully. With shaking hands, he held up the sad looking tag and the bottle and compared them. The door tag said, in clear block letters: **GAARA****SUNA**. The bottle, on the other hand, said something different.

The name on the medication was: **Sabaku,****Gaara**.

Even now, after waking up to the redhead's calm expression every morning for the past couple of weeks, Naruto found himself wondering just who he was involved with. He had been all over the Internet, searching for clues as to what the drug was for. What he had found only deepened his curiosity and confusion. He wanted to just ask, but he did not want Gaara to be upset with him. And what if that dangerous part of him woke up again? Asking Gaara directly was something Naruto was not looking forward to.

"..uto. Naruto!" a voice startled him.

"Huh?" Naruto tore his gaze away from the gorgeous redhead outside and looked into the scarred face of his boss and friend. "Iruka. What's up?"

"How long do you plan to stand there? Those tables aren't going to bus themselves."

"Oh. Heh," Naruto said sheepishly, reaching up to rub the back of his head. "Sorry. I was thinking."

Iruka's gaze flickered to Gaara and back to Naruto. "I can see that," he said with a smile. "So you two are getting along? No problems?"

His smile faded slightly, but he covered it quickly with an even brighter grin. "Great!" he nearly shouted. "We're even boyfriends now."

Iruka choked. "Boy.. boyfriends?"

"Um... I'm gonna.. go. Over there." Naruto walked away, leaving Iruka staring after him.

Outside, Gaara felt the stares of the people inside the diner. When there was a lull in foot traffic, he turned to look through the window. He saw Naruto walking away from Iruka with a slight blush on his face, and his eyes narrowed.

"_Mine,__" _he growled into the cold.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N**: There will probably be typos. I'm sick. Again. And I own nothing.

NOTHING!

*sobs*

* * *

There was a harsh and bloody battle raging inside of Gaara's head. The rational side of him was fast becoming a smear in his mind, only managing to whisper "You're wrong." The rest of him could only punch and howl "The Blond belongs to me. To me!" The patrons sitting closest to the window were developing an unhealthy interest in choking down their food as fast as they could. They were beginning to fear the uneven, maniacal grin displayed on the red haired man's face. So intently was Gaara snarling at the sight of his lover blushing at words their boss and landlord had apparently spoken that he did not notice the person who appeared at his side until they spoke.

"Is the food here good, un?"

Slowly, Gaara turned to the speaker, crushing the stack of handbills in his fist. "Hm?" he queried the newcomer.

"I said, 'is the food here good, un?' I like my meals to be works of art, yeah." Gaara shook off his distraction and give the man a quick inspection.

His hair was long and startlingly blond, but he was otherwise unremarkable. He wore a long, black trench coat as protection against the weather, and appeared to be wearing an ordinary suit underneath his coat. He looked harmless enough, the redhead concluded, and decided to answer his question as truthfully as he could.

"The cheeseburger saved my life."

The blond man nodded sagely, as if he understood completely. He looked at the crushed pile of papers in Gaara's hand. "Are those coupons, un?"

Gaara followed the man's gaze, and jerked his head up and down. Holding out the pile, he said, "Take them."

The blond frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be handing them out, yeah?"

"I am," Gaara declared. "I'm handing them to you." He slapped the crumpled stack to the other man's chest and went back to glaring into the restaurant. There was a long pause while the blond worked out what to say next.

"So," he said. "See anything interesting in there, un?"

"I fear that my boyfriend is being flirted with against his will," Gaara stated in his usual hoarse, monotone voice.

"Maybe you should go check on him, yeah?"

Bright green eyes widened minutely as the red hair bobbed up and down. "I should do that. Thanks." He tossed his head back to look at the blond man. His hair fell away from his forehead, revealing his tattoo, and the blond gasped. He covered it with a cough and looked away.

"Don't mention it, yeah. Just go get him before someone steals him away."

"Hm." Gaara started for the door, then stopped. "What's your name? Maybe I can leave a note telling them to give you a discount, if you like?"

The blond grinned. "Deidara."

Gaara nodded once more, then pushed open the double doors of his job and disappeared inside. Deidara waited for the red head to get far enough away before he allowed his grin to twist into an ugly smirk. Had Gaara not been so distracted by Iruka and Naruto's blush, he would have made a note of the unusual red cloud pattern on the blond man's tie.

Deidara checked again to make sure that Gaara was gone, and dropped the stack of flyer onto the ground. He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a slim device. Flipping it open, he pushed a few buttons, then placed it to his ear.

"It's me. The target has been located, confirmed, and engaged, un."

"_Good__ work,__" _came the voice on the other end of the line. "_Does__ he__ suspect __anything?__"_

Deidara snorted. "Nothing. Too busy mooning over his boyfriend, un."

"_Boyfriend? __That__'__s__ not__ supposed __to__ happen.__"_

"What now, Danna?"

"_Don__'__t __call__ me__ that. __And __be__ careful.__"_

"That's no fun, yeah." Deidara clicked the phone closed and pointed it toward the restaurant. "BANG!" he shouted, before chuckling and walking away.

* * *

Naruto struggled to drag all six of the large garbage bags to the back door. He had tripped over them so many times that even Chouji had asked if he needed anything to eat to build up his strength. Sighing, he made an attempt to twist the doorknob without releasing the bags and almost fell into the door.

Almost.

A familiar pair of strong hands caught him, and he grinned. "Gaara! Just in time. Can you grab those? Thanks. Now I can open the door and - oh, here we go." Naruto headed outside with half of his original load, not checking to see if his lover was behind him. He heaved the bags into the dumpster, where they landed with a satisfying _thud_. He wiped his sweaty brow and smiled when he heard the rest of the bags land next to his. He turned.

"Hey, thanks Gaa-" he started to say, but found himself pushed up against the concrete wall of the restaurant instead. "Gaara?" Naruto frowned at the wild look in his boyfriend's eyes. His thoughts immediately went to the empty pill bottle he was hiding under mattress, and his bit his lip. Did Gaara know he knew?

"Gaara, what's wro-"

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Huh?"

"Iruka," Gaara rasped. "Did he say anything to you."

"Was he supposed to?" Naruto asked, confused.

"I saw you talking to him. I saw you blush," Gaara said, as if that explained everything. To his horror, Naruto blushed again. The red head narrowed his eyes, ready to lash out, ready to -

"I told him about us," Naruto said quietly. "I told him we were together. Cuz we are. Right?"

"Do you want us to be?" Gaara asked, feeling a strange tingling in his chest.

"Of course." Naruto smiled at the look of relief that settled on his stoic lover's face. To reassure him, Naruto wrapped his arms around Gaara's waist, and pulled him close. He jammed his hands into Gaara's back pockets and squeezed. The sound the red head made was thrilling, and Naruto squeezed again, just to hear that sound a second time. "Of course," he repeated in a low voice.

"Tell me," Gaara whispered, "that you're mine."

"I'm yours," Naruto answered obediently. "I'm yours, for as long as you want me."

"Good." Gaara grabbed fistfuls of Naruto's shirt and pushed him further into the wall. He captured the blond's lips in a harsh kiss, licking and biting. He used his tongue to force Naruto's mouth open, eager to feel the wet warmth inside. Naruto tasted vaguely of ramen, and Gaara found this familiar and comforting. Not to be outdone by Gaara's hunger, Naruto kneaded his lover's ass and pulled him so close that, if it were possibly, they would have melted into each other, literally becoming one.

Their eyes were screwed shut and they could only hear each others' heartbeats, which explains why they did not hear the arrival of an intruder until he screamed.

"MY EYES!"

* * *

There were things that Kiba thought that he would never see. Then there were things that Kiba never wanted to see. For example, his goofy, good-natured, blond-haired best friend _kissing _his red-haired roommate. In the alley. Pressed up against a wall. And moaning. _Moaning!_

"My eyes!" Kiba roared, slapping his palms over his face.

"Kiba!" Naruto gasped, withdrawing his hands and pushing Gaara lightly away. "What are you doing back here?"

"Kibble," Gaara begrudgingly acknowledged the man. "Perfect timing, you have," he remarked dryly. "Leave. You're interrupting."

"Iruka said that you were almost done with the trash and that I could come out and help," Kiba muttered into his hands. "I did not expect to see you getting fucking molested!" Sliding his hands away from his eyes, he growled at Gaara and questioned his friend, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Naruto shook away the dog-like man's concern. "I'm - we're - fine. I guess I can tell you, since it's not a secret or anything." He bounced in place. "We're going out."

Kiba gave the blond a blank look. "Going out where?"

"He means, dog brain, that we're dating. Each other," Gaara added for clarification. "And I'll thank you not to touch him like you used to."

Kiba's eyes bounced between the two men and finally settled on a spot between them. Hating the red-haired man, but knowing that his friend deserved happiness, he grunted, "Congratulations, I guess." To Naruto, he added, "Guess this means our drinking nights are officially over."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, sneaking a glance at Gaara. He swung his eyes back to his oldest friend. "You're a good friend-"

"But I"m not what you need right now. Or want," he added under his breath. "Remember our chat, Red," he spat at Gaara, stabbing his finger in the air. "I'm watching you."

"Likewise," Gaara said. He looked at his flushed and shivering boyfriend and smiled. With a pointed glance at Kiba, Gaara leaned over and pecked Naruto softly on the lips. "We need to get back to work. I gave some guy all of the flyers."

"All of them?" Naruto squeaked as his eyes widened. "Iruka's gonna be pissed!"

Kiba chuckled. "Especially since they're all over the street, blowing away."

"What?" With a frown, Gaara quickly punched in the security code and yanked the door to the building open. He gestured to Naruto. "After you."

Kiba snorted and pushed past both men. "I"m going to eat, if I can still can. The two of you sucking face probably ruined my appetite," he grumbled as he disappeared inside.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Gaara and kissed him hard. "See you tonight?"

"Of course."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: This may answer some questions, though it may also raise more. Tried to make it a bit longer this time without losing the flow of things, even though it's still sort of short. Gomen, minna. Any typos and confusions are my own.  
**

**And no, I don't own _Naruto_, I'm not being paid for this, and I desperately need some chocolate.**

* * *

Sai quickly pressed "send" on the computer screen, shooting the email through cyberspace toward Naruto's inbox before he could change his mind. He had been reluctant to complete the task Naruto presented to him; namely, to find out any information he could about Suna and how the name "Sabaku" fit into it all. Unwillingly to add to Naruto's stress but finding it hard to refuse his friend, Sai had crumbled, and agreed to search.

He hoped that his grandfather, Danzo, had not noticed that Sai had accessed his private search engine, The Root, but doubted it; very little escaped the former military man's intelligence networks. Sai also hoped that he had not triggered anything with his information hunt; Naruto would be sad if anything happened, such as Gaara being taken away by force. From the very little Sai had uncovered, that scenario would likelier than he cared to admit.

Closing his laptop, he picked up his current book, _How to Understand Women_, removed his bookmark, and started reading. As he made notes in the pad that was his constant companion, his thoughts drifted to the pink-haired, perpetually angry woman that lived next door to him.

Sakura was a mystery to him. If Sai was being honest, most of his friends were mysteries to him. He had not gone to school with any of them in their formative years, and had only met them a couple of years after what was dubbed the Sasuke Incident. From what Sai knew, the Uchiha family had been well known and respected in the city of Konoha. The two sons, Itachi and Sasuke, had lived like princes or young masters. However, all of that ended sooner - and deadly - than anyone could have imagined.

In his senior year of high school, Sasuke stayed late one evening to tutor his blond friend, Naruto, in chemistry. Worried because he had been out so late, he ran home for dinner, only to walk in the house just in time to see his mother fall to the floor, a gaping wound in her chest. His older brother, Itachi, stood over her holding a dripping carving knife. Stunned and terrified, Sasuke screamed, only to black out when Itachi clubbed him on the back of the head.

Sakura was, at the time, dating Sasuke, and Naruto completed their trio of tight friendship. After his parents' murder and subsequent disappearance of his guily brother, Sasuke begin to change. He became colder and more distant. He got into fights often, several times battering the person who was supposed to be his best friend. Two years after the murder, Sasuke received a tip that Itachi had taken up with a gang known only by the name "Akatsuki." The night he left to pursue his parents' murderer was the night that everything had fallen apart for the friends. Sakura, blindly in love with her boyfriend, claimed that Naruto, who tried to prevent Sasuke from leaving, was the cause of the problem. Naruto refused to speak on the events, preferring to bury them underneath his shiny personality.

Sai moved to Konoha barely a year after, and was immediately befriended by Naruto. Sakura, who happened to live in the apartment next to the one Sai rented, claimed friendship with everyone Sai had met. Everyone, with the rare exception of Naruto. Torn between someone who had quickly become a good friend and the woman he was attracted to, Sai had fallen back into his introspective habit of merely observing the world around him, rather than participating in it. His calm, detached way of examining situations had gotten him into trouble, mainly with Sakura, who felt that Sai was judging her for being so vocally against the inclusion of bubbly blond in group outings.

Sai had also heard rumors about Naruto's upbringing; that he was illegitimate son of the infamous Kyuubi was the most popular. Some people around Konoha had even went as far as to say that Naruto had aided Kyuubi in the death of his own parents! The pale man shook his head at the stupidity of people. Naruto was his friend, and he would stand by that, no matter who said anything, including his grandfather

Blinking, Sai realized that his phone was ringing. He peered at the display and sighed. The words _Evil Old Man, _his personal nickname for Danzo_, _scrolled across the screen. Already knowing what the phone call was about, he chose to ignore it. He could disciplined over voice mail, as usual.

Hearing the jingle of keys in the hallway made him sit up straighter. In a flash, he was across the room and opening the door. He poked his head into the hallway and called, "Sakura!"

"No, Sai," the pink haired woman responded without turning her head. "I'm tired."

Annoyed with always faking smiled and begging for inclusion in the woman's plans, Sai snapped, "Fine, Ugly. Rot away in your cage for all I care." Feeling a twisted satisfaction at the gasp Sakura made as Sai's words registered with her and she dropped her keys and bag in shock, Sai retreated into his apartment and slammed the door. Locking it for good measure, he strode to his desk. Picking up his pen, he wrote in his notebook, "Sakura's new nickname is Ugly." He underlined it twice, and closed the book with a loud snap.

* * *

"Harder, Gaara! Push harder!" Naruto panted.

"I am trying, Naruto. I don't think it will fit," Gaara retorted.

"It has to!" Naruto shouted. "Iruka will pitch a fit if we don't get this last box in here!"

"Perhaps we can remove the cans from the box and just stack them up?"

The blond man blinked, then giggled. "That's a great idea! Here, let go." Gaara obligingly dropped his end of the heavy box, and Naruto set it down on the storeroom floor. He ripped the packing tape off of the top and opened the flaps. He estimated the numbers of cans in the box and the available shelf space, then grinned. "Yup. This should work just fine."

"Would you like some help?" Gaara asked, but Naruto shook his head.

"Nah," he said. I've got it. You can go ahead and go home. I'll be up as soon as I finish this." Naruto waited for Gaara to peck his lips lightly and leave the room. Once his lover's footsteps had faded, Naruto dropped the grin and sat down heavily on the floor. He fished his phone out of his pocket and checked the display. He had one new email, from Sai. After a short prayer, he opened the file and read it, his expression growing paler and paler. With a shuddering sigh, he closed the inbox, and shoved the device back into his pocket.

"Poor Gaara," Naruto whispered to the canned goods. "What can I do to help him?" He wondered. "And.. Akatsuki wants him? Ins't that.. Itachi.."

"Naruto, are you still here?" a voice called.

'Ahh, Iruka!" Naruto shouted, jumping to his feet. He shoved the conflicting emotions into an unused corner of his mind and greeted his boss and surrogate big brother. "In the storeroom, Iruka! I'm almost finished!" He grabbed an armful of cans and thrust them into the small space on the metal shelf. "See? I'm working hard!" He thrust another armload into the overcrowded space, causing several cans of tomatoes and black beans to tumble to the floor.

"Naruto," Iruka said, stepping into the storeroom, "is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course! Of course it is. Gaara's fine, and I don't think about Sasuke anymore. Why do you ask?" the blond panted as the words flew form his mouth.

"Because I didn't mention Gaara or Sasuke, Naruto." The scarred man frowned. "Did something happen?" He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, managing to look casual and threatening while blocking Naruto's only exit chance of escape.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head absently, and tried to find the words to express his dark thoughts. "Um, ok," he said. "Let's say you had this friend-"

"Naruto," Iruka warned.

"Okay, okay!" Naruto fell silent, chewing on his lip. "I think - I think Gaara's in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" the brown haired man asked with a concerned look.

Naruto turned grave eyes to his friend. "Akatsuki."

"WHAT?" Iruka exclaimed, dropping his cool pose. His eyes flickered to the open door, and he frowned. He left the storeroom, and returned just as quickly. "We're alone. Now talk to me, Naruto. What is this about? Akatsuki? Isn't that the group that Itachi..." He trailed off, recognizing the look of determination in his young friend's eyes. "Oh, no. Naruto! You can't possibly be thinking-"

"I'm going to do it, Iruka. I'm going to save him. Them. Both of them."

"Naruto-"

"I'm going to save Gaara, and I'm going to get Sasuke back."

"Do you have any idea what you're up against? They're evil, Naruto! They'll kill you!"

"You forget, Iruka, who raised me." Nauro smiled a terrible smile and clenched his fists.

"I know exactly who raised you, Naruto," said the scarred man, his voice low with anger. "Kyuubi killed my parents as well as yours! I know the power of that monster, and I know what he probably taught you. That is why you vowed not to fight, and that is why I allowed you to stay here!" Taking a deep, calming breath, Iruka continued. "Naruto, if you go up against them, they will force you to fight, possibly to kill. Do you really want to risk that? What about your vow?"

The blond slowly unclenched his fists, and placed his hands on his stomach. Absentmindedly, he traced the pattern of this tattoo through his shirt. "I know what I vowed," he said quietly. "My parents.. this tattoo is all I have left of them. I promised to uphold the honor of the Uzumaki and Namikaze families, since I am the last one alive. I promised to overcome my upbringing at the hands of Kyuubi, to not succumb to his will or his ways. I also promised, Iruka, that if I should ever be recognized for who I am and not what I came from, that I would give people the same chance. My parents would want me to do this. If there's a chance that I can save them, I will try."

Iruka's shoulder's sagged. "Naruto..."

"I'll be careful, Iruka," the blond promised. "But I have to do this. I love him." Naruto turned on his heel and left the storage room, leaving a scattering f caned goods and a bewildered Iruka behind.

"You love 'him', you say, Naruto," Iruka whispered to the absent young man, "but which one?"

* * *

Gaara had just removed his shirt, looking forward to a hot shower, when he heard the knocking on the door.

"Did he forget his key again?" the red head muttered to himself. Placing the shirt on the couch, he moved toward the door when it was suddenly blasted off the hinges. The force of the explosion sent Gaara stumbling backward, his breath snatched form his body.

"BANG!" a loud voice yelled. "My art is explosive!"

Through the dust, Gaara could see a blond ponytail and a dark suit. He squinted and coughed, trying to force his brain and lungs to work at the same time. "Deidara?" he wheezed.

"I'm happy you remember me, yeah," the tall blond spoke. "You'll be coming with, yeah. We have a party we must attend." He moved deeper into the apartment and grabbed the shaking red haired man's arm.

"Wha - what?" Gaara gasped.

"Shukaku says to tell you 'hi.'"


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Um.. Merry Christmas?**

**And no, I STILL don't own any of these characters. I'm STILL not making any money of of them. I only own the fantasies in my head.**

* * *

Naruto left Iruka behind and strode toward the stairs with determination. He planned to come clean with Gaara, to tell him what he knew and offer his help, whether the red head liked it or not. He had a feeling that Gaara would not like it, and that slowed his pace. Would Gaara reject his help, his love?

The blond groaned. "Too sappy, thoughts. Go away!" He reached the metal staircase, slowing when a moving shadow caught his eye. He squinted into the darkness behind the stairs, trying to get a better look. After a few moments, he shrugged, seeing no other disturbance in the night. He placed his hand on the rail, his foot on the bottom step, and almost lost his balance when the world exploded around him.

The ground beneath him shook, and the air above him trembled. Naruto felt his heart stop as his legs begin to shake. Stunned, he looked toward the top of the staircase, toward his apartment. Toward where Gaara was waiting for him.

"Gaara?" Stumbling, Naruto pulled himself up the stairs as fast as his shaking legs would allow him to move. "GAARA!" A hand pulled the back of his shirt, sending him flying backward. He landed on the ground with a thump. Ignoring the pain blossoming in his body, and thankful that he did not strike his head on the concrete, Naruto jumped to his feet and spun toward his attacker.

"What's the big idea?" he shouted. "Are you crazy? My house just blew up. Gaara - my boyfriend - he's in there!" Naruto's words died upon his lips as he stared into a face he thought he would never see again. His mouth moved, but no words rose to his lips.

"I am sorry, but I have to do this," the newcomer said. "I do not want to hurt you. Yet. It is not your time with us." Naruto gagged and slumped toward the ground as a hard fist buried itself in his gut. With wide, unbelieving eyes, he stared upwards at his long-haired attacker. He reached out, gasping softly as the man side-stepped and looked toward the stairs.

"No," Naruto whispered. "You can't have him, too. Not him."

"I am simple completing my mission. This is nothing personal against you."

"Liar," Naruto rasped. "You get off on this shit, don't you? Destroying people's happiness? What happened to you?"

Dark hair covered a pale, angular face as the man shrugged. "I have my reasons, and none of them concern you."

"Bullshit!" Naruto sputtered. He dragged himself to his feet, still clutching his stomach. "I can't let you do this. Not again. I couldn't stop you before, and I couldn't stop him, either. Your broth-"

"My brother stays out of this conversation, Naruto. And just so you know, everything I did, I did for him."

"LIAR!" Naruto rushed the man, who easily read his intentions and dodged. Naruto's fist met only air. "Ugh!" The blond coughed as a second fist slammed into his gut. His vision darkened, and would not clear, no matter how hard he fought.

"Sleep," the man commanded as he ascended the stairs, leaving the shuddering blond behind.

"Don't do this," Naruto pleaded groggily. "Don't fucking do this! ITACHI!"

* * *

Gaara's blood froze at the the blond's words. "Shukaku?" he hissed, forgetting the burning in his lungs. "Shukaku sent you?" He shook his head wildly. "I refuse. I refuse to go back!"

"You don't have much of a choice, un," Deidara declared with a smirk. "Besides, he didn't send us. Leader sent us. You have been summoned by Akatsuki, yeah."

Gaara paled and backed away. "I refuse."

"Not your choice, un," the blond reminded him.

"Then I will make it my choice!" Gaara's voice was low and dangerous. He settled into a fighting stance and stared into Deidara's eyes. "One of us may die."

Deidara blinked. "You can't be serious?" He searched the red head's eyes, and his shoulders slumped. "You're serious." The blond sighed. "Do you really want me to blow this place up, un? Doesn't your precious lover live here? How do you think he'd feel knowing that you ruined his life, yeah?"

Gaara swallowed and balled his fists tighter. He could feel his nails sinking into his flesh, and he welcomed the pain. _Naruto,_ he thought. _I'm sorry._

"_Serves you right, you monster," _his father's voice caressed his ear.

"Fuck you," Gaara hissed.

"Un?"

"_That blond you think you like so much doesn't feel the same about you. And after this? He'll shun you, throw you away. You might as well go back to Shukaku. At least with him, you know where you stand. Monster. I should have smothered you in your crib."_

"Shut up," Gaara hised through clenched teeth. "Shut the fuck up!"

Deidara's brow quirked upward in confusion. "It's probably not my place to be asking this, but are you okay, un? Hello?" He waved his hand in the air and received no direct response.

Gaara raised shaking fists to his temples. "Shut up shut up shut up shut up! I love him! He said he loves me! Shut up!" He shuddered once, twice. His breath came in harsh pants. His eyes squeezed shut, then flew open again when he heard his blond scream.

"GAARA!"

"Naruto," Gaara whispered. A slow smile crossed his face, making Deidara stumble backwards. "See?" Gaara asked the voice. "He loves me. He. Loves. Me. ME! I'm not a monster," he said, walking toward the blond that threatened his new found peace. "You're the monster. So you should just shut up!"

Deidara reached in the bag slung across his chest for a small device that would incapacitate the red haired man, but did not get a chance to use it. Gaara's hands slammed into Deidara's face and chest, knocking him to the floor. The blond landed hard on broken wood and metal bits; small pieces pierced his hands and back, and he screeched in pain. His eyes widened as Gaara straddled him calmly, and hissed in his face, "I am not a monster. I am loved. One of us will die."

* * *

Itachi froze when Naruto screamed his name. He turned and looked back, narrowly missing the fist that flew toward his head.

"So you can still move."

"Fuck you, Itachi!" Naruto huffed. He winced with every step he took, but it would be worth the minor pain to save Gaara. He could feel his blood pumping hotly through his veins. His vision blurred and cleared, blurred and cleared, and he could almost hear Kyuubi's voice in his ear.

"_That's the way, Kit," Kyuubi said. "Let it boil over, then kill with it."_

"_But I don't want to kill anybody!" Naruto pouted._

"_Then you will die," the older man shrugged. "Kill or be killed. Your choice, Kit."_

Lessons Naruto had tried hard to forget rushed back into his body and brain. He growled, liking the feel of the energy flowing into his body. "I. Ta. Chi," he growled. "You broke Sasuke. You're trying to take Gaara. You killed your parents. You hurt a lot of people. A lot of people. You need to pay for that."

"And you think you can collect that debt?" Itachi mocked the blond. "You're years to early to fight me and win."

Without replying, Naruto flew into action. Stunned at the blond's speed, Itachi struggled against the vise-like grip that was suddenly wrapped around his pale throat. Long, graceful fingers pulled at the thick, calloused, tan ones. With his free hand, Itachi fumbled beneath his coat. Had he the ability to draw a breath, he would have sighed in relief when his finger closed around the hilt of his knife. Withdrawing the blade, he thrust it upwards, seeking tan flesh to cut.

With a snarl, Naruto brought his knee up, burying it into Itachi's gut. Gagging, the long haired male released his grip on the knife. It clattered to the stairs and slipped away. Squeezing harder, Naruto could feel Itachi's struggle for oxygen. He could feel the man's hammering heartbeat. He could see the fear in the man's eyes, and he liked it. That thought, and that thought alone, is what made the blond release him. Leaving Itachi gagging and choking, Naruto bounded the rest of the way up the stairs to find Gaara.

He burst through the ruined door and skidded to a stop, eyes widening. Right on top of the exploded mess was blood splattered Gaara. The red head grinned with blank eyes as he slammed the head of an unfamiliar man against the floor.

"He loves me," Gaara was hissing. "He loves me. He. Loves. Me."

Naruto swallowed and spoke softly. "Gaara?"

The red head's hand stilled. "Naruto," he said simply. "Naruto, do you love me?"

"I love you, Gaara," Naruto said, careful to keep fear from his voice. "I love you, so let's let this guy go, okay?"

"He said you didn't love me, Naruto," Gaara said. "My father said you didn't love me. And Shukaku said to tell me 'hi.' Why would Shukaku say that? He doesn't love me. No one loves me."

"I love you, Gaara," Naruto repeated. "Let me help you, okay? Your father's not here. And screw him! I love you. Come here." Stepping deeper into the apartment, Naruto crept into Gaara's line of sight. The red head's vision cleared as his blond lover neared his side.

"Naruto," Gaara said, reaching up. He then looked down at the body beneath him. Deidara's breathing was shallow, and his arm was bent at an unnatural angle. Gaara stared down at the result of his black out, expressionless. "He said you didn't love me," he repeated.

"He lied," Naruto reassured his lover. He wrapped his arms around Gaara and pulled him off of the man on the floor. He heard Itachi creep up behind them, and said, "Don't even try it. Just go. Take this guy, and go."

"We know where you live," Itachi said.

"And I know who you are," Naruto growled. "Go." He stepped aside to allow Itachi to retrieve his bleeding partner. As Itachi lifted the blond onto his back, Naruto turned toward him. "I've only got one question for you. Well, two."

When Itachi stopped moving, Naruto knew he was listening. He pushed forward. "Why Gaara?"

"This is bigger than you can possibly know," Itachi admitted.  
"Fine," Naruto said. "I'll figure that out later." He was silent for so long that Itachi was forced to shift his weight. The blond looked into the eyes of his former best friend's brother and asked, "Where's Sasuke?"

"Still looking for me, I expect." Without another word, Itachi picked his way carefully through the debris, with an unconscious Deidara hanging from his back. "This does not end things. I hope you know, we will try again."

"Then I'll just have to fight you again."

"This has nothing to do with you, Naruto."

"It does," the blond said, "because I love him."

"Which him, Naruto? Gaara? Or Sasuke?"

"Does it matter?"

Itachi froze, then stepped out of the apartment. "No," he said, "I don't suppose it does."

Naruto pulled Gaara closer and pressed a kiss into the least gory part of his head. "It's going to be fine, Gaara. Gaara?" He peered closer at his boyfriend, and cursed.

Gaara's eyes were open, but no one appeared to be home.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Happy birthday! Here's a gift.**

**Nope. Still don't own _Naruto_. Still don't make money from _Naruto_.**

* * *

"Thanks for coming to get us, Kiba. Would you mind if we stayed the night?" Naruto said over his shoulder as he gently pushed his seemingly catatonic boyfriend to a sitting position on the couch. Gaara had not said a word or moved on his own since Naruto pulled him off the blond bomber he had been thrashing.

Kiba jabbed his finger at Gaara and snarled, "You're lucky you're my friend, Naruto, but what the hell is this? He's covered in blood!"

"It's not his," Naruto said, and grimaced when Kiba's voice rose.

"Did he kill somebody? Am I an accessory? I don't wanna go to jail! FUCK!"

"Shut up, Kiba! Just let me think for a minute. Oh, and keep an ear out for Sai. He's supposed to meet us here."

"Sai? That creepy freak knows what's going on? What the hell is going on? Why won't you tell me? He's not dripping on my couch, is he?"

"Kiba, shut up! Seriously, it's not even that much blood. And I'll explain everything once Sai gets here; I refuse to say it twice." Naruto dropped to the leather seat and thrust his face into his hands. He was tired, sweaty, bloody; his stomach ached where Itachi had slammed his iron-like fists into it. His apartment, while not destroyed, was currently unsafe. Worse than anything was the look of trust and understanding that Iruka had given him before he and Gaara fled the scene.

"Naruto!" Iruka called, running up the stairs. He peered past the ruined door and gasped. "Oh my God! What happened?"

"Akatsuki found Gaara. _Itachi _found me."

"Oh my God!" Iruka mumbled, turning his gaze on Gaara. "Gaara, are you alright? Are you injured? Gaara? GAARA!" He stepped toward the unresponsive young man, but Naruto raised a hand and shook his head when he felt the red head tense.

"He won't let you get near him right now. And anyway, it's not his blood. At least, not all of it." He took his lover's pale face in his hands. "We've gotta get you out of here. In a few minutes, this place will be swarming with cops, and neither one of us needs that kind of attention." The blond frowned when the red head made no move to respond or comply. "Gaara?" he whispered softly. Sighing, he pressed his lips to Gaara's in a chaste kiss. "Stay here. I'll pack."

He moved swiftly through the apartment, stuffing whatever clothes and loose change his found into a large duffel bag. He unplugged his computer, and shoved that in the bag, too. Running into Gaara's room, he grabbed Gaara's bag, which was propped in the corner and neatly packed. A frown creased his features as he wondered his boyfriend's bag was packed already, then realized that Gaara probably kept his luggage together in case he needed to run quickly. Shoving down the emotion that threatened to well up in his chest, he slung both bags over his shoulder and ran back to the living room.

Sirens wailed in the distance, and he cursed quietly. Grabbing Gaara's hand, he yanked him toward the exit, stopping only to force the red-haired man's shoes onto his feet.

"Wait, Naruto!" Iruka called, following close behind them. "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking Gaara to your office with our bags, and then I'm calling Kiba. Gaara can't see the cops like this, and I'm sure they won't hesitate to pin this all on me," he explained as he started down the stairs, pulling Gaara behind him.

Iruka sighed, pressing shaking fingers to the scar on his face. "I'm sure," he remarked dryly. "I'll tell them that you weren't here when it happened. And they don't need to know about Gaara."  
"Thanks, Iruka. I'm sorry about this."

"Naruto." The scarred man placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. "I'll take care of it. Now go." He gave the two younger men a push in the direction of the alley, and turned to face the arriving police.

Naruto hurriedly pressed the correct combination on the number pad and pulled the door open when it beeped. As he entered the restaurant, he faintly heard Iruka speaking to the officers.

"Just my employee, Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka was saying. "He left a while ago, after closing up."

"Uzumaki," a deep voice. "U. Zu. Ma. Ki. Why does that sound so familiar?"

"Uzumaki?" a high pitched voice repeated. "Kyuubi's kid?"

"Naruto is not Kyuubi's son," Iruka defended his adoptive brother.

"But still!" the high picthed voice said. "You let Kyuubi's kid live here? And work here? With _people_?"

"That's enough," the deep voice reprimanded. "Now, Mr. Umino, tell us what happened here."

Naruto closed the back door as quietly as he could and tiptoed through the darkness into Iruka's office. Setting Gaara in a chair, Naruto dropped the bags and pulled his phone from his pocket. Pushing a series of buttons, he composed a text message.

_They know he's here. Meet you at the dog pound in 60._

He tapped his foot and waited for the reply, which came instantly.

_I will be there. -Sai_

Satisfied, Naruto scrolled through his contacts and pushed another button. He pressed the device to his ear and waited for an answer.

"Yo," came the voice of his best friend. "Naruto! I was just gonna call you, see if you were up for drinkin' with us tonight."

"Now's not the time for that, Kiba," Naruto said. "I need a favor. Can you come get us?"

Silence. Naruto was about to check to see if the canine-like man had hung up when he heard, "Us? The fuck's going on, Naruto? Your little red head coming out to play with the big boys tonight?" Kiba snorted.

"Kiba," Naruto snarled. "Get over here. Please. I think we're in trouble."

"What? I told that guy if he-"

"Kiba. Just come, ok? We'll meet you on the corner. Stay away from my place."

"What the - Wait. Do I hear sirens? Naru-" Naruto disconnected the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He did not want to risk turning on a light to clean the blood from his lover's body. He settled, instead, for reaching into the closest bag and pulling out the first shirt he found. Squinting in the dim light, he was unable to discern the ownership and design of it. Shrugging, he approached his boyfriend.

"Gaara," he said, "here. Put this on."

No response.

"Gaara?"

No response.

Sighing again, Naruto pulled the t-shirt down over Gaara's head, and maneuvered his arms into the sleeves. With that task complete, he wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders and buried his face in the red locks.

"I won't let them have you," Naruto promised. He kissed Gaara's head while squeezing his tightly. Straightening his back, he reluctantly released the slightly smaller man and rubbed the back of his head. "We'd better go. Kiba should be here soon." Once again slinging the overstuffed bags over his shoulder, he grabbed his boyfriend's hand and pulled him to a standing position. Moving quietly, the two men crept back toward the back door.

Pushing the door open, Naruto peeked in all directions. Seeing flashing lights in the direction of his apartment, he tiptoed out of the building and, after pulling Gaara out behind him, closed the door with as little noise as possible. Happy that Gaara was at least walking under his own power and not fighting him, Naruto led the two of them to the corner without spotting a cop. Breathing a little better, he waited to see Kiba's headlights come to their rescue.

A knock on Kiba's door pulled Naruto from his thoughts. Through his fingers, he watched as Sai entered the small house, followed by a bickering Sakura and a sweaty, huffing Lee.

"What the hell is this?" the pink haired woman screeched. "What happened now? Did this freak do something again? Naruto!"

"Why did you bring her?" the blond asked Sai.

"Yosh!" Lee said. "I informed Sakura of the situation as soon as I heard from Sai! I was worried about your health and youthful passion! I assumed, perhaps hastily, that someone with medical expertise would be welcomed! I offered to run her here on my back, but she chose to ride with our good friend Sai on his bike." He turned to the raven-haired man. "I lost in speed to your mechanical bike. I shall run all the way home at twice the speed as punishment!"

"Why'd you bring him?" Naruto groaned to Sai.

Sakura kicked off her shoes and sniffed. "It's not my job to patch you idiots up," she grumbled. She strode toward the couch where Naruto and Gaara sat, and leaned over to see the red head's face better. She reached toward him, hoping to grip his face and present it to the light, but before she could complete her plan, and pale hand shot out toward her. She screeched as she was forced, face down, to the carpet. Her blood froze as hot breath ghosted over her face. A snarling voice in her ear said, "Do you want to die?"

"Gaara! Shit!" Naruto shot to his feet and wrapped his arms around Gaara's midsection as Kiba and Lee gasped in surprise. Sai stared blankly at the chaotic scene before him, wondering if this display of hot emotion was normal. His fingers twitched, itching to make a note of it.

"Get him off me! Get him off!" Sakura squealed, her voice thick with tears. "Oh, God, it hurts! Make him stop!"

"Gaara," Naruto purred into his lover's ear. "Hold me instead. Hold me."

"Naruto?" Gaara asked foggily. "Where are you?"

"I've got you. I'm right here. Can you feel my arms?" He tightened his grip. "I've got you," he repeated.

Slowly, Gaara released his hold on the lone female. Slowly, he turned his head to study Naruto's profile. He blinked once, twice, and then relaxed, pressing back against the blond. "Naruto," Gaara whispered. "He said you didn't love me."

"But I do," he assured the red head. "I do." He planted soft kisses along Gaara's ear and jaw. A loud slam made Naruto pause mid-kiss and look up. Lee was standing in the window, hiding his flushed face and muttering about young love. Sakura sulked in the farthest corner she could find, rubbing her sore arm. Sai was scribbling notes in his pad. And Kiba..

Kiba was standing in front of the couple, his hands curled into tight fists.

"What the fuck is this, eh, Naruto? Your twisted boyfriend-" he spat the word out "-slams Sakura to the ground and you give him a kiss? What the fuck, man?"

Naruto closed his eyes and squeezed his boyfriend tighter. A growl rumbled in Gaara's chest, and Naruto gently massaged his chest, coaxing the tension away. "We'll leave. But I need to tell you all what happened."

Lee pulled his gaze from the window, and Sai put his notepad away. He settled on the ground in a spot not too far from the couple and nodded.

Sakura snorted. "Why should we care? This creepy dude moves into your apartment and now he's covered in blood? Doesn't take a genius to figure out that something went wrong."

Naruto, keeping his eyes closed, sighed. "We were attacked."

"Attacked?" Lee asked.

Kiba squinted at them. "The fuck was all that? The cops and fire trucks and shit?"

Sakura looked at the men with a bewildered expression. "What?"

"The door to our apartment was blown off the hinges. I got jumped on the stairs when I went to check on Gaara. I found Gaara fighting and.." Naruto sighed again. "Gaara's being targeted."

"I told you he was dangerous, Naruto! I told you!" Sakura hollered.

"Sakura, shut up!" Kiba snarled. "Naruto, what's going on?"

"Shukaku," Gaara rasped. "Shukaku."

"What is 'Shukaku', Gaara?" Lee kneeled on the floor to see the red head better.

Sai spoke up. "Over in Suna, there is a large underground fighting ring. It is beyond dangerous. More like deadly. This 'Shukaku' person is one of the leaders." At Gaara's glare, Sai said, "I have access to The Root. Danzo is my grandfather."

"Danzo?" Sakura questioned the raven. "The leader of the top information brokerage firm?"

Ignoring her, Sai continued. "I had heard many things about the demon of the ring over the years, but I never thought that he was you, Gaara Sabaku. Or should I call you 'Sandman'?"

The room exploded with noise as they all tried to speak at once. Naruto nuzzled Gaara's neck, only to be shoved away.

"You knew?" Gaara asked him in a shaking voice.

"I only just found out today. I was planning to ask you about it. You've said the name 'Shukaku' in your sleep before. Gaara, wait!" he cried as Gaara got to his feet. "I just wanted-"

"You pried into my past."

"I didn't mean to!"

"There is another matter at hand," Sai continued. "Shukaku is employed by Akatsuki."

Sakura paled. "Akatsuki? You mean.."

"Yeah," Naruto confirmed. "The gang Itachi ran away and joined."

"Then," broke in Lee, "when you say that the two of you were attacked by Akatsuki, you mean..?"

"Itachi's back. And he's brought some friends with him."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I think I've said enough that I don't own these characters. And I've been sick again. Sorry! But here's another chapter. Citrusy, so, um, yeah. You've been warned.**

* * *

"I don't wanna die!" Kiba wailed.

"Shut up, Kiba!" Naruto snapped. "I can't deal with you right now. Gaara. Hey, Gaara, where're you going? Gaara!" He leaped to his feet to run after his snarling boyfriend.

Gaara slapped away Naruto's hand when it landed on his shoulder. "Are you happy now? You know all my secrets. I have no reason to stay. You have no reason to keep me around."

"Gaara," Naruto whined, "we have to talk about this. I was trying to help you!" He looked away and muttered, "I found the bottle."

"What bot- Oh. Oh. Shit." Gaara's hands flew to his head and he dug his fingers into his scalp, grabbing great handfuls of hair.

"Well, that settles it," Sakura stated, getting to her feet. "If he leaves, the rest of us should be fine, right?" She rubbed her sore arm and glared in the red head's direction. She scoffed at his display of anguish, but felt herself shrivel a bit underneath Naruto's fiery gaze. She stood straighter and declared, "Well, it's true! These Akatsuki people weren't sniffing around until after he showed up."

"Even if Itachi being here means that Sasuke might show up?" Kiba spoke the words that everyone else was thinking.

"That - uh - that.. Leave Sasuke out of this!" Sakura screeched. "Just get that freak out of here!"

"Sakura!" Naruto roared and dashed toward the pink haired woman. Surprisingly, Lee cornered her first.

"You should watch your words, Sakura. They are hurtful and most unyouthful." Lee's voice was dangerously low; Sakura took a step backward when she noticed how serious he was. "I usually do not hit women, Sakura, but right this moment, you are forcing me to rethink that policy."

"Lee!" the woman cried. "Even you're against me? Why?"

"Gaara has done nothing to bring harm to any of us since he has been here. I vowed to Naruto that I would befriend the man, and I will keep my word. Right now, Gaara needs us and our help."

"I do not need your help," Gaara spat. "Where is my bag? I will take my leave."

"You can't go out like that, Gaara," Naruto argued with him. "You're covered in blood."

Green eyes narrowed sharply. He released his hair and lifted his gaze to the blond. "And is that the only reason I should not walk out of this house right now, Naruto?" he questioned his lover.

"Of course not! Look, you need a shower. I need a shower. We probably all need food, and then we need a plan." The blond stretched out a hand and sighed in relief when it was not smacked away. He placed his palm against Gaara's cheek, lightly caressing the other man's face. "And, obviously, you and I have some things that we need to discuss with each other."

"You're all a bunch of weirdos," Sakura interrupted. "I'm leaving," she declared. She stomped to the door and shoved her feet roughly into her shoes.

"I do not think that you need to be told not to speak of these events to anyone outside of this group or in public, correct, Ugly?" Sai questioned the woman. "Pain awaits betrayers, and pain is not always swift or physical."

"Is that a threat, Sai?" Sakura's voice shook as she stared at the pale man.

"More like a promise, I would think," he informed her with a smile. She paled and rushed to the door, flinging it open and fleeing the house.

Lee watched her departure silently before informing the group, "I will accompany her home. Please, call me when my assistance is needed. I will be more than happy to lend my youth and spirit to this mission!" Without waiting for confirmation, the green clad man rushed out of Kiba's home, closing the door softly behind him.

The four remaining men stood in silence. Kiba, never good with quiet, began to twitch and fidget after several seconds. "I need a fuckin' beer," he announced. "Anybody else?"

"I do not drink alcohol," Sai said.

"I need to show Gaara the shower and stuff," Naruto said. "Can we still stay here, or do you want us to leave?"

"What-fuckin-ever," Kiba muttered. "I'mma need a lotta damn beer tonight." He wandered in the direction of his kitchen, grumbling to himself.

"That went well," Naruto chirped. "Um, we'll be back, Sai." The pale man nodded and settled back down onto the floor. He reached in the bag he had brought with him, and retrieved a thick book. Flipping it open to the marked page, he removed the tasseled place holder and began to read.

Naruto ran his thumb across his lover's lips and said, "Come on. I'll show you where we're sleeping tonight."

* * *

Gaara stood in the shower, watching the soapy, pink-tinged water swirl down the drain. He raked his fingers through his hair, hoping that all of Deidara's blood had been washed out of his tresses. He winced at the sting the body wash produced on his cuts, and almost whimpered as the harsh spray hit his sore muscles. He had felt worse in the past, but those events felt so distant from his current life. He knew that he should not have gotten so comfortable with Naruto. He knew, in his head, that nothing good could come from growing so attached to the blond, but it seemed that his heart and body had different plans.

Gaara wanted to be disappointed. He wanted to feel justifiably angry and reassured in his conviction that he could love and trust no one, but the feelings would not come. He could only feel two things: startled that he had been found so quickly, and convinced that Naruto did indeed care for him. Akatsuki had sent a team to retrieve him, the demon of the underground ring, and Naruto, his boyfriend, could only hold him tight and whisper that he loved him.

"_He doesn't love yo-"_

"Fuck off!" Gaara smashed his head against the shower wall to silence the voice, and cringed at the pain. He raised a shaking hand to touch the already forming bruise. His eyes widened at the discovery.

"It hurt," he rasped. "That has never hurt before."

"Gaara!" Naruto called from just outside the bathroom. "Are you okay in there? I heard a noise."

"I dropped the soap," Gaara spoke above the water."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"I'm fine, Naruto."

Naruto answered by opening the door. "I can't hear a thing over that shower! Man, that's some high pressure Kiba's got in here," the blond observed. "Are you okay in here?"

"I'm fine, Naruto," Gaara repeated.

"You need any help? I can wish your back, if you like."

Gaara's brain intended to answer that he was capable of cleaning his own back, but his lips moved on their own and said, "Come join me, Naruto." His body also betrayed him; his arm opened the shower curtain invitingly and his hand beckoned to the blond.

Naruto closed - and locked - the bathroom door. He quickly stripped off his sweatpants and t-shirt - clean, because he had showered first - and stepped into the cramped bathtub, nudging his boyfriend from under the spray. He pressed Gaara against the wall, and ran his hands down the man's water-slicked chest and abdomen. Not to be outdone, Gaara fisted his hands in Naruto's hair and pulled the blond roughly to him, seeking his lips.

"Thought I was supposed to wash your back," Naruto whispered into his lover's mouth.

"Shut up," Gaara commanded.

"Should we be doing this right now?" Naruto asked, teasing Gaara's lips with his tongue.

"You're right," Gaara admitted, pulling away. "The water is getting cold."

"That's not what I meant!" Naruto chuckled. He gave the red haired man a long, lingering kiss that left them both gasping for air. "Don't doubt me, Gaara. Please?" He pulled the other man into a hug, forcing Gaara's face to his.

"I don't want to," Gaara whispered into his ear. "Let's go talk." The men pulled apart reluctantly. Naruto spin the faucets, shutting off the water, and Gaara stepped out of the bathtub, looking around for a towel. His search was short-lived when a blue towel landed on his head.

"I should have known you'd forget to bring one in here. I got one for you," Naruto stated, shaking the water form his short hair.

"Thank you." Naruto waved off the words, and both men set to drying their bodies and dressing enough to leave the bathroom.

Once in the room they were assigned to, Naruto flopped down on the bed, and patted the space next to him. Suddenly apprehensive, Gaara slowly made his way over and sank down on the end of the large mattress.

Turning to Naruto, Gaara started with, "Shukaku-" only to be cut off.

"Do we have to do this now?" Naruto asked.

"You said we should talk," Gaara stated flatly. He was strangely disappointed that Naruto did not seem to want to hear his tale.

"_You can't blame him," his father sneered. "Who wants to hear what you have to say?"_

"Shut up," Gaara snarled through clenched teeth.

Naruto watched his lover warily. "Is it 'him' again?" He sighed when the red head nodded slowly. "Come here," he motioned to Gaara.

A slight frown marring his features, he scooted closer to his blond and relaxed against his side. His eyes widened then fluttered closed as he felt soft kisses along his jaw and neck.

"Naruto," he whispered.

"Maybe we should shut him up first," Naruto whispered between kisses. Gaara shuddered at the sensation of Naruto's soft lips and hot tongue against his flesh. He wiggled closer, eager to feel more of his blond's mouth. He gasped when he felt the world move, and was surprised to find himself straddling Naruto. He frowned a question at his lover, to which Naruto replied, "I'm still not sure what to do, exactly. Teach me?"

A shudder went through Gaara as he realized what Naruto was asking - no, not asking, _offering_. "Gods," he muttered, as lust fogged his brain. Hungrily, he delved into the blond's mouth, tasting and nibbling. He pulled away from Naruto's lips and attacked his jaw and neck, licking, leaving wet trails along his skin.

It wasn't enough.

As Naruto bucked beneath him, Gaara pulled at the blond's clothes, eager to free more flesh to explore. He felt the material shred under his fingertips and ignored it. His blond needed him, needed to feel him, skin against skin and Gaara hurried to oblige. He felt Naruto's hands reliving him of the burden of his clothing, helping along the process and growled every time they had to pull apart to remove another wretched piece of material.

At last, at last, they were freed. Tanned, tattooed flesh met creamy, scarred skin. Gaara eased his way between muscular thighs and ground their pelvises together. Both men gasped at the friction and recreated it, again and again.

"Naruto," Gaara rasped, pressing closely to his lover. He captured Naruto's lips and rolled his hips, earning a low moan from the blond. Naruto's fingertips traced the scars on Gaara's back, and his ankles were hooked on the back of Gaara's legs. Gaara ran a hand between them, feeling perfectly formed abs, ghosting across the strange, spiral-like design inked into Naruto's skin. He ran a finger down the side of Naruto's hard, straining flesh, and touched a finger to the blond's tight entrance.

Naruto hissed and moved away. "Sor-sorry," he moaned into Gaara's mouth. "I don't - I don't think-"

Gaara shushed him with kisses. "It's fine. We can wait for that," he promised, and rolled his hips again. Their erections slid together, eliciting a groan from the both of them.

"I need.."

"I know," Gaara said. He held his blond close and rocked against him. Naruto growled and pushed his hips up, bucking against the pressure that Gaara was giving him. A thin sheen of sweat covered him, and he pulled Gaara closer, panting.

"Oh, gods," Naruto wailed as he saw stars dance across his vision. Hot liquid ran between them as he shuddered. He feel back against the bed, limp and drained, and shuddered again as he heard Gaara release a harsh cry and felt the red head bite down on his shoulder. He hissed at the sharp pain, and tensed, but immediately relaxed as Gaara licked the wound he created. Naruto nuzzled his boyfriend's ear and offered an unseen smile which fell when he heard the curse from outside the door.

"FUCK!" Kiba yelled from the hallway. "Sai, they fucked in my HOUSE!"


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Sorry for shortness of chapter. I've been REALLY sick. Hope you like this.

* * *

To say that breakfast the following morning was tense would be like saying The War Between The States was just a slight disagreement. Four warm-blooded, adult males sat around the small table in Kiba's kitchen, picking at their food. Even Naruto seemed to have no appetite for the cup of instant, miso-flavored ramen that sat steaming before him. Kiba sat as far away from Gaara and Naruto as he could and still be considered as sitting at the table. Sai was firing question after question at the couple and scribbling copious amounts of notes, even though his inquires went unanswered.

Kiba, as expected, was the one to point out the giant elephant floating over their heads.

He sat forward, slamming his hands on the table. "Didja HAVE to fuck in my house, man?"

"Technically-"

"Shut up, Sai! Nobody asked you!" Kiba growled. "I was asking them, the ones who defined my precious room."

"Defiled."

"What?"

"The word you wanted. It was 'defiled', Kibble," Gaara explained.

"Yeah, what he said!" Kiba shouted. "Hey, wait a minute. Are you calling me stupid?"

"Annoying," the red head supplied.

"And my name is KIBA!"

"And you're loud," Naruto said softly, pushing away his unfinished ramen. Three pairs of astonished eyes turned to the unusually quiet blond. "What?" he inquired. "I have a headache. And my stomach hurts."

Gaara stared at his boyfriend. "Is it my fault?"

"No. No! Of course not," he denied, placing his hand on Gaara's. "Why would you think that?"

"Yesterday gave you bad memories."

Naruto swallowed hard. "How - how did you know that?"

"You cr-" He broke off, sending an icy glare to Kiba and Sai, warning them not to tease their friend. "You cried in your sleep."

Naruto cringed and said, "Oh."

Sai leaned closer, interested. "Was the sex that bad?"

Kiba squealed and clamped his hands over his ears. "I am not fucking hearing this!"

Naruto sighed, and looked down at his hands. "I was..thinking. Itachi's being here made me remember some..things from my childhood. Unpleasant things." He sighed again. "I should have expected it, really. My life had been going too well lately."

"So it is my fault," Gaara snarled. He stood up violently, knocking the chair he had been sitting in to the floor. "Why don't you just say it? Tell me to go!"

"Because I don't fucking want you to leave, asshole!" Naruto jumped to his feet, knocking his own chair to the floor in the process. He reached out, and snatched fistfuls of his lover's shirt, dragging him close enough to kiss. "You have no idea who I am," he growled, "so stop saying shit that'll piss me off!" He released Gaara, making the red-haired man stumble and fall against the table. Gaara snarled at Naruto, intending to respond, but the blond raised his hand for silence.

"I'm going to tell you a story now, so listen good.

Once upon a time, there was a dude named Minato Namikaze. He was the big dude around this town, was a shoo-in to be mayor. But he was in love, they say, with a loud-mouthed, red-haired young woman from the next town over. She had a bad temper, and was nicknamed 'the bloody habanero.' She apparently loved Minato, too, but she had a problem. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki, and she was engaged to the notorious killer, Kurama Kitsune."

Sai interrupted. "Kurama Kitsune? You mean, Kyuubi the Fox?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. That asshole. The one who tried to wipe out Konoha with a bomb." He sighed, righted his chair, and sank into it before continuing. "Minato had a plan to lock Kyuubi up for good and take Kushina for himself. Unfortunately, Kyuubi found out about it, just as Kushina figured out that she was pregnant. She hid it for months before running away to Minato, telling Kyuubi that she'd kill herself before she gave him her child.

"Minato hid her, and Kyuubi terrorized Konoha looking for her. When he found her, she had just given birth. Kyuubi thought for sure he was a father, but when he saw the kid, he went berserk."

"Berserk? Why? He had what he wanted, right?" Kiba leaned forward, eager to hear what happened, but afraid of learning the truth.

"Because the kid was just as blond-haired and blue-eyed as _Minato_, instead of being a red head like Kushina or Kyuubi. The kid wasn't The Fox's kids. It was Minato's."

Naruto felt a slight pressure on his neck as Gaara dropped a hand there to reassure him. Leaning into the touch, he continued somberly. "He wanted to kill the kid, tried to kill the kid, but Kushina and Minato got in the way. He stabbed them both through the heart. As she died, Kushina made him promise, if he had any love for her at all, to never harm her son, to see that he lived a decent life, and that, when the time came, he would know that she loved him. He agreed. Minato made one request: a name. And Kyuubi agreed."

"A name," Sai prompted.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto whispered. "I'm the reason my parents died. I'm the reason Konoha was attacked. And," he said, looking up at Gaara, "I was raised by a monster. Some people think I AM a monster."

Kiba swallowed hard. "But none of that shit was your fucking fault! It's not fair!"

"Yeah? You think?" Naruto answered bitterly. "When I first moved here with Jiraya, all the adults knew who I was. All you kids hated me because your parents hated me. Iruka was the nicest to me, weirdly, since Kyuubi killed his parents."

"I-I-I never hated you," Kiba stammered. "I was - I mean, I just-"

"Save it, Kiba. You hated me back then. Even though I had Jiraya help me with the tattoos on my stomach before he died, and I made the vow - publicly - that I would not harm anybody, I was still treated like shit around here. It was only after Jiraya died and Iruka let me live above the diner that people started to see Naruto Uzumaki instead of 'Kyuubi's Kid', you know. And no one, except Jiraya and Iruka, seemed to realize that Minato was my father."

"Did Sasuke know?" Sai asked of his friend.

"No, I don't think so," Naruto said, "but Itachi does. I have a feeling that it won't be long before Akatsuki comes after me, too."

"But why would they do that?" Kiba wondered aloud.

"Hello! Raised by Kyuubi the Fox, here," Naruto said, waving his arms. "I know all his techniques. They probably think that I'm the second coming of that demon bastard." He started to say more but felt himself being yanked out of the chair by an angry red head. He followed, mutely, behind his lover.

Gaara marched Naruto into the living room and flung him on the couch. "Sit," he growled. And Naruto sat. The blond watched quietly as the red-haired man paced the small area in front of him, sending questioning glances in his direction. He counted seconds, then minutes, as the agitated male continued to move. Just as Naruto worked up the nerve to ask what was wrong, Gaara stopped pacing.

He appeared in front of Naruto and forced the blond deeper into the couch.

"Wha-" But Naruto could not speak. His lap was full of Gaara and his mouth was full of tongue before he could properly react.

Gaara pulled out of the kiss and hissed to his boyfriend, "You are not a monster."

"Gaara?"

"You. Are. Not. A. Monster." The red head flicked his gaze to the two men hovering in the doorway, and spoke again. "I am the monster, not you. I have blood on my hands. Not you. But you love me?"

Understanding that it was a question, Naruto answered with an emphatic, "Yes."

Gaara nodded. "I will not leave under my own power."

That's nice and all," Kiba interrupted, "but did y'all have to have sex in-"

"Stop talking, Kiba," Sai said, "or I'll be forced to stop you."

Warily, Kiba eyed the pale man. "How would you do that?"

Smiling, Sai announced, "I have been reading about kissing techniques-"

"NOOOOOO! Get away! Get away!" Kiba fled the room, screaming. Sai smirked at the couple embracing on the couch. "Enjoy yourselves," he said to them before disappearing after Kiba.

* * *

Sometime later, there was a clang on the front porch, followed by a booming voice, announcing, "Yosh! I have come bearing news from the city! And I am not accompanied by Sakura! May I gain entrance, young Inuzuka?"

"Why can't he just ring the fucking bell like everybody else?" Kiba, the young Inuzuka in question, snarled as he stomped toward the door. He flung it open, revealing an eye-burning, green-clad Lee Rock, dragging a brown-haired, heavy-lidded man behind him.

"Tsk," said the dragged man as he struggled to right himself. "So troublesome."

"Hey, Shikamaru," Naruto called from his place on the couch. "How've you been? How's the wife?"

"I've been fine," said the man as he yawned. "As for the wife.."

"She's troublesome," the room - minus Gaara - chorused.

"Well, don't just fucking stand there. Get in here!" Kiba ordered his friends. Lee and Shikamaru stepped through the door and kicked off their shoes. As Shikamaru walked further into the room, he froze when he saw the red-haired man draped across Naruto.

"It can't be," he muttered. "Damn, I was hoping to avoid something like this."

Naruto, Lee, Sai, and Kiba glanced back and forth between their lazy friend and a newly glaring red head. Naruto voiced the question on every man's lips.

"So.. You know Gaara, Shikamaru?"

"Gaara. So I was right," Shikamaru mumbled.

"Nara," the red head acknowledged him in a dangerously low tone. "Did my sister send you?"

"Sister?" Naruto asked, startled.

"Your friend Nara is married to a woman named-"

"Temari," Kiba supplied.

"Temari," Gaara confirmed. "She is my older sister."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: There will be typos. Quick update, not much happens. Just moving the plot along. Wait. There's a plot? Still sick. Still job hunting. Still don't own _Naruto_ or the characters, or the town of Konoha or Suna or...**

* * *

The silence in the room was palpable, like a living thing. Naruto shivered as a wave of the thickening tension washed across the room. His eyes darted back and forth between the man he loved, and the man he had always considered a friend. He wondered if he should say something.

Shikamaru released a long suffering sigh. "Troublesome," he muttered. He shuffled over to Naruto and Gaara and dropped onto the couch next to them. He fumbled in his pocket and withdrew a crumpled pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter. He placed a single white stick between his lips, flicked the lighter open, and held the bright flame to the tip. He puffed until the cigarette was completely light, and then inhaled deeply. Exhaling, he dipped his head into the cloud of smoke and stuffed the almost empty package and lighter back into his jacket pocket.

Lee cleared his throat. "This should be treated as a joyous occasion, should it not? A pair of brother, reunited after a separation of years! This is the power of glorious youth, my friends!" Tears streamed down his face as he stalked toward the couch, arms flung wide open to embrace the men.

"Do not touch me," Gaara growled as Lee clasped his shoulder, dragging him, Naruto, and Shikamaru into a group hug.

Lee ignored him. "And, lo! Most wonderful news. Shikamaru, Naruto and you are now brothers, as well, for Naruto has claimed Gaara as his husband!"

"Hu-husband?" Naruto stammered.

"I'll kill you," Gaara snarled.

"I'm trying to smoke," Shikamaru drawled.

"So this is family," Sai whispered to himself, scribbling away in his notebook.

"Why does this have to happen in MY HOUSE?" Kiba wailed.

Gaara shrugged off Lee's arms and stood. He narrowed his eyes at his sister's husband and asked, "Why are you here?"

Shikamaru titled his head back and blew a stream of smoke in the red head's direction. "Personal business. Came to see my family. Better question is, what are you doing here?"

Gaara crossed his arms and glared. "This is as far as the money would take me."

"So you did take the money."

"It was my money. I fought. I earned it."

"Shukaku doesn't see it that way," Shikamaru said, opening his eyes. "He's been coming around the house, badgering Temari, asking f she knows where you are."

Gaara hissed. Shikamaru barely had time to be surprised before the smaller man yanked him off the couch into a standing position. "Are you going to tell her? Are you working for him? Do I have to kill you?"

"She's worried about you, you know."

Gaara scoffed. "Don't lie for her," he ordered his brother-in-law. "She doesn't deserve it."

"She's your sister."

"She's a coward. All of them are." He shook Shikamaru, almost knocking the lit cigarette from his mouth.

Naruto jumped to his feet. "Gaara, let him go. Please?"

"He's a spy!"

"He's your brother!" Lee interjected.

"He's no kin of mine," Gaara snarled. He released Shikamaru's shirt, tossing the man backward. "We're leaving," he said to Naruto.

"But-"

"I can go by myself if you-"

"Gaara, shut up! Fuck! Are you going to throw that in my face every single fucking time something happens? I can't deal with this right now." The blond man stormed out of the room, shaking his head and muttering. His footsteps thundered through the house and up the stairs. A door slammed overhead before any of the other men could move.

Gaara swallowed hard, a haunted look marring his features. "I'm going for a walk," he announced.

"No!" Lee shouted. "It's not safe out there for you."

"Are you my keeper now?" Gaara demanded of the man in green as he shoved his feet into shoes and slammed out of the house.

"Gaara!" Lee called as he jogged after him. Over his shoulder, he called, "I will bring him back, I swear. If I cannot do this, I will-"

"Just go," Kiba said. "I'll go talk to Naruto."

Shikamaru looked at Sai. "What's going on?"

Sai smiled broadly at the brown-haired man and delivered the grave news. "Naruto and Gaara are in love. Akatsuki blew up their apartment. Gaara thinks he should leave to 'save' Naruto and Naruto thinks Gaara is an idiot for suggesting it. "

"Shit."

"Precisely."

* * *

Itachi Uchiha watched his target, Sandman, leave the relative safety of Kiba Inuzuka's house. He readied himself to attack, but paused when he spotted Lee Rock exit the house and jog after him. Itachia watched impassively as the green clad man attempt to halt the progress of the red-haired beast. He wished he was close enough to hear their conversation, but thanks to his injured partner, he had to stay well out of sight.

"Itachi, un," Deidara whispered. "It's okay. You can leave me here."

"I can't do that," Itachi stated. "Besides, this mission says to capture Gaara. It says nothing about attacking civilians or destroying property."

"But you attacked the blond, yeah?"

Itachi stiffened. "That was different. That was a warning. He was not harmed, nor did I make a spectacle of myself by blowing up a building."

"It wasn't a building, un!" Deidara sat up and winced. "It was just a door." He gingerly felt his swollen face and cracked ribs, and groaned. "Sasori-danna is going to kill me, yeah? I think I screwed up bad."

"As long as we complete our mission, there should be no complaints from anyone. Now lie down before someone sees you," Itachi ordered the injured blond. Deidara flopped back down onto the grass and tried to sigh; instead, he grimaced in pain.

The duo was in the park across from the young Inuzuka's place of residence. They had been waiting there all morning. With the weather being cool, not too many people were wandering around the grassy area, for which Itachi was grateful. The residents of Konoha still remembered his face, and he wanted to finish the job Pein, the leader of Akatsuki, had given to them without murdering anyone unnecessary.

"Itachi, un."

The eldest living Uchiha slammed his fist into the soft ground at having his thoughts interrupted again. "What is it, Deidara?" he snapped.

Ignoring the hostile tone in his partner's voice, the blond asked, "Why do they call him 'Sandman'?"

"Because," answered Itachi, "he always puts his victims 'to sleep'."

* * *

"Naruto."

"Gmph vay, Weeba," Naruto's muffled voice floated through the closed door.

"What?"

"I said, Go away, Kiba!" Naruto lifted his head out of the pillow and yelled. "I need to be alone right now."

"And when has that ever mattered to me?" Kiba yelled back, kicking the door. "And this is MY house, dammit, so open the door!" There was a long pause, followed by a shuffling noise. A soft _click _signaled that he was free to enter, and Kiba jumped at the chance to knock some sense into his friend.

He burst through the door; it slammed open and pinned Naruto to the wall. Blue eyes widened in shock at the violent greeting.

"That hurt, Kiba! What the hell is wrong with you?" he choked out, pushing the door off of him. Naruto and Kiba fought for control of the door; Naruto won, and shoved the door - and Kiba - away from him. He rubbed his injured chest and coughed.

"No, what the fuck is wrong with you? Your ma-ma-man," he spat, "has a price on his head and you're up here sulk- Are you crying? Dude!" Kiba closed the door and peered at his friend. "You're crying." Kiba bit his lip and shuffled to the bed. He sank down, staring at Naruto's red-rimmed eyes. As he watched, the blond sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"So?"

"You really love him, don't you?"

"I think so. I haven't felt anything like this since Sas- well, you know, since _he_left. I get scared when I think of Gaara leaving, or whatever. I just - I can't be alone again. I need him. We understand each other."

"Then why all the fights? I mean, fuck, last night-"

"I know," Naruto said softly. "I know. Last night was great."

"I don't need fucking visuals, okay?" Kiba growled.

Naruto chuckled sadly. "Sorry, man." He swiped at his face with his sleeve and sat down next to Kiba with a sigh. "I still don't know everything. Sai saying all that stuff about 'Sandman' was news to me. Well, not news news, cuz I read an email about it, but still. I want Gaara to tell me himself. And then I want us to fight together."

"Fight?" Kiba asked, alarmed. "You're willing to fight? For him?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I am. I already fought Itachi, and I'll do it again if I have to. I've told Iruka, and I'll apologize to my parents later. I can't let him go like this. I have to save him."

"Shit. You really are serious about him." Kiba stared at his friend, and then nodded once. "Okay, I"m in."

"What?" Naruto stared at Kiba, confused by the sudden change in tone.

"This battle or whatever you're planning. I'm in. I wanna kick some Akatsuki ass, too."

"This isn't going to be some street fight, Kiba. These people are professionals."

"You're my best friend, and I'm not letting you go without me." The two men glared at each, and then Naruto broke into beautiful, sunny smile.

"Thanks, man."

Kiba stood and strode toward the door. "Oh," he said, stopping. "I hope Lee caught up with Gaara."

"What?" Naruto leapt to his feet. "What are you talking about?"

"Gaara stormed out, said he was going for a walk."

"With Itachi and that blond bomber bastard still on the lose? SHIT!" Naruto ran for the door at full speed, Kiba close on his heels.

They bounded down the stairs and through the house, skidding to a stop in the living room. There, they found a smiling Sai, who was bent over a sketchbook and staring at a sleeping Shikamaru. Naruto twitched at the relaxed air of the room. His boyfriend was missing, being hunted, and this was how his friends took the news?

"Hey, Shikamaru! Shikamaru, wake up!" he yelled, stamping his foot on the floor.

The Naru yawned and removed the dying cigarette from his mouth. Without opening his eyes, he stubbed it in the ashtray that Sai was kind enough to fetch and sit near him, and sighed. "You don't have to yell. Gaara is fine. Lee is with him. They're having a very nice conversation. They haven't spotted anyone following them. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Don't move around so much," Sai requested of the lazy man. "I'm almost done with this picture."

"Why are you drawing-? No, never mind, I don't want to know." Shikamaru turned his head away from the glares of the men in the room and promptly began to snore.

"Sai," Naruto warned the drawing man.

"It is as he say," Sai responded. "Lee called and said that they are sitting in the park across the street." He added a few strokes of pencil on the paper in front of him, then snapped the book closed. "Done. I will add this to my collection."

"Collection?" Kiba asked, frowning.

"Yes," Sai smiled. "I have drawings of all of you. Especially you. Would you like to see them?"

"Why are you drawing me, you creepy-"

"Guys," Naruto interrupted. "We have bigger problems." No truer words were spoken. Naruto had barely drawn breath when the front door burst open and Lee staggered in.

The green clad man was bleeding in several places, and favoring his left leg. His clothes were ripped, and there were leaves and dirt in his hair.

"LEE!" Naruto shouted, running toward his friend. "What happened? Where's Gaara? Was it Akatsuki?"

Gasping for air, Lee choked out, "Gaara. Park. Bad." Without waiting for any other statements, Naruto grabbed his shoes and flew out of the house. Gaara needed him, and he was going to save him.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Um, yeah, see, what had happened was... Oh, screw it. Got sick, computer died, computer got fixed, and I'm just now updating this. So, uh.. thanks for waiting?

**Disclaimer**: No, dammit, I don't own anything!

* * *

Lee called out, "No! Nar-" and wrapped an arm around his abdomen to hold his injured ribcage as he coughed.

"Shit, Lee! Naruto, wait! Fuck!" Kiba swiveled back and forth between Lee and the spot where Naruto had stood only seconds before. Torn and confused, he wondered what he should do. "Lee!" he barked. "What happened?"

"Let's get him to the sofa, first," Shikamaru's normally lazy voice commanded. "Kiba, do you have a first aid kit? Get it. Sai, do Ino and Sakura still work at the hospital?" At Sai's hesitant nod, he said, "Call one of them."

"Ino would be best," Sai opined. "Sakura is not..seeing eye to eye with the rest of us right now."

Shikamaru paused, then shook his head. "Whatever. Call Ino, then. Just get someone over here. Lee! Stay with me." He grabbed the green-clad man around his middle, and helped him to the sofa. He dropped to his knees and began poking and prodding the injuries, making a quick assessment. "Cracked ribs, at least two, bruised cheekbone. Luckily, most of these cuts appear to be scratches, but we had better get them disinfected." He hastily untied Lee's cross trainer; he slipped the shoe and sock off and peered at the ankle. "Looks like a light sprain. KIBA!" he yelled. "Where are you?"

There was a crash, a howl; Kiba's voice floated into the living room, saying, "I'm okay! Nobody worry."

"As if we would," Sai muttered, thumbs flying over the tiny keyboard on his phone. "Ino says she can be here in about twenty minutes, and asks that no one die before that."

Shikamaru snorted, then snapped his fingers at a dozing Lee. "Lee! Wake up! We need to know what happened out there. Where's Gaara? What's going on? Lee!"

"YOSH!" Lee suddenly shouted and leaped to his feet, stumbling and grimacing in pain. "I will overcome these minor injuries with the power of my youth! These very painful inconveniences are nothing that will stop me. Why, my mentor, the great and mighty Gai says that with guts and hard work, we can achieve anyth-" His speech was cut short when Sai thrust a palm into the center of his chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. Lee doubled over, gasping, choking and fighting back tears. Shikamaru sighed and shook his head.

"Troublesome," he muttered under his breath.

Kiba re-entered the room holding the medical kit triumphantly over his head and looking slightly worse for the wear. He threw his companions a strange glance as he lowered his arms. "What'd I miss?"

"Lee is being an idiot," Sai filled him in. "Funny, I always thought that being an idiot was yours and Naruto's place in this hierarchy."

"Ignore him," Shikamaru said. "Lee? What happened?"

Wheezing, Lee began his tale. "As you all know, I left chasing Gaara, who was fleeing Naruto's heartfelt, emotional display of affection.."

* * *

"_Gaara!" Lee called, jogging after the red-haired man. _

"_Go away," Gaara snarled. _

"_We can discuss this!"_

"_No."_

"_Gaara, my flame-haired friend, lover of my other dearest friend-" Lee ducked as Gaara's fists flew toward him, narrowly missing both sides of his head. Cocking his head to one side, Lee straightened his well-trained body and took a fighting stance. "You wish to communicate your feelings to me by the communion of flesh? Very well. I shall oblige you." _

"_I wish for you to shut up and go away," the other male answered, "but if you want to fight, you should be prepared to die." Gaara rushed the green-clad man, unleashing a series of dangerous kicks and punches that sent Lee leaping backward and dodging like his life depended on it. _

_Lee Rock, personal trainer and lifelong martial arts student, did not quite dodge all of the attacks, however. A particularly nasty kick to the face sent him spinning toward the ground. Luckily, by this point in the fight, the two men had crossed the street and entered the park; a soft pile of leaves broke Lee's fall. Slowly, he rose to his feet. He turned his head, and spat; red-tinted spittle flecked his lips. He raised an arm and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his green hoodie. He brushed a few leaves from his hair, his eyes never leaving those of his opponent._

"_You're good," Lee admitted. "But can you do this?" He leaped into the air and twisted his body, spinning. Gaara's eyes widened, and he only just managed to lift his arms and guard his face and chest before Lee's extra strong legs lashed out toward him. As it was, the blow knocked him back several feet, and the sheer force behind it dumped him on his butt. Lee landed gently, taking his stance. Gaara narrowed his eyes. _

"_Better," he growled. He launched himself off the ground and flew toward the other man, hands and feet moving at an impossibly fast pace. Lee staggered and blocked several punches and kicks before Gaara swept his legs from underneath him. Lee crashed to the ground, and Gaara straddled him, sending a heavy fist into the dirt next to Lee's head. Both men were breathing heavily. Neither man spoke for long moments. _

_Finally, Gaara stood and brushed himself off. Spying a stone bench, he stalked toward it. Upon reaching it, he slumped down on it, and pressed his face into his hands. Lee relaxed his body and dug his phone from his pocket. After checking to make sure it had not been damaged, he quickly typed a message, pressed "send", and followed the other man's path to the bench. He sat gently beside him, slightly unsure of what to do next._

"_Why does love hurt?" Gaara muttered softly._

_Shocked but understanding the question, he thought for a moment. "I do not know, my friend," Lee admitted. "Perhaps because it is so powerful that it overwhelms everything else?" _

"_Why would Naruto love someone like me?" _

"_Why would he not?" Lee questioned, his thick eyebrows disappearing into his hair. "You are a very good person."_

"_No I'm not!" Gaara snapped, standing. "I am a monster. I am..." Gaara trailed off, his gaze flicking to a jumble of shrubs and bushes not far from where he stood. He growled, "I am going to put you to sleep."_

_Lee's head snapped back, astonished at the sudden change in tone. "Gaara?" he inquired, only to feel himself being lifted off of the bench by his shirt and thrown away, toward the park's entrance. "What is this violent, unbeautiful display of-"_

"_Run away, Lee, or you will die," Gaara stated calmly. Lee, who prided himself on his speed, blinked, and found himself flat on his back, wincing at the pain shooting up his leg. He blinked again, and found himself curled up on his side, clutching his mid-section and whimpering. _

"_Gaara," he whispered, and his eyes widened. He felt his body leave the ground and, just before Gaara threw him out of the park, he caught sight of a certain long-haired individual standing behind his red-haired friend._

"_Run, Lee," Gaara growled. "Please. Tell Naruto..I love him."_

"And that, my friends, is the story," Lee wheezed.

Sai, Kiba, and Shikamaru all stared at each other apprehensively. From the looks on their faces, each man could tell that they were all thinking the same thing. Kiba, as usual, broke the silence.

"FUCK!" he yelled. "Naruto went out there and that bastard Itachi was laying in wait?" Without another word, the dog-lover howled, and ran for the front door. He flung it open and rushed out just as a pretty blonde female raised her fist to knock. She stumbled back at the violent welcome, and blinked.

"Did I miss something?" Ino asked.

* * *

Naruto skidded to a stop in the park, panting heavily. His eyes widened as he took in the scene laid out in front of him. Violently, he shook his head from side to side, hoping to negate what he was seeing.

"Gaara," his whimpered. His lover was face down on the grass, unmoving. His arms were chained behind him, and two men in black suits and long coats were kicking him. Naruto ground his teeth together, and a red haze covered his eyes. He zeroed in on the one person he blamed for this chain of events, and yelled out his name. "ITACHI UCHIHA!"

The long-haired man slid his gaze toward the snarling blond. Sighing, he raised his voice to speak. "There is nothing you can do here."

Adrenaline coursed through Naruto's body, tightening his muscles and making his heart beat faster. "Itachi," he hissed as he forced himself to clear his vision. "How dare you touch him. How dare you hurt him! GAARA!" He launched himself in the direction of the suited men and his prone boyfriend.

"It's just business, Uzumaki. But, very well, if you want to fight, I will indulge you," the stoic man stated simply. He braced himself for impact, and not a moment too soon.

Naruto slammed into him, sending him skidding through the grass and dirt. Clenching his teeth but forcing his emotions away from his face, Itachi laced his fingers together. Lifting his arms, he brought his interlocked hands down on the blond man's head once, twice, three times. The blows appeared to have no effect. Itachi barely had time to frown before a knee met his chest and drove the breath from his lungs.

Snarling, Naruto leaped over Itachi's falling form and raced to save his lover. He saw the crazy bomber guy that Gaara had destroyed the day before stumble backward and fall to the ground. With an expression that was the bastard child of a smirk and a sneer, he sized up the other two men that were presently stomping on the man that he loved.

On the left, there was a sickly-complected, well-muscled male that brought the word "shark" to the forefront of Naruto's mind. On the right was a smaller, red-haired male that, for one heart-stopping second, the blond thought was actually Gaara; they possessed the same dead eyes and blank expression. It was this one that heard the commotion and motioned to his partner. They both turned toward Naruto and, seeing the fallen Uchiha, tensed for action.

The shark-like one spoke first. "You must be Uzumaki. 'Tachi's told us _so _much about you," he taunted.

"Who the fuck are you?" Naruto queried.

"Name's Kisame," he replied. "This here's Sasori. And this," he said, kicking the prone Gaara, "is our prize."

"Stop hurting him!" Naruto sputtered, leading the way to Kisame with his fist.

With a smirk, Kisame pulled a long, metal pipe from inside his long coat and and swung in the blond's direction. Naruto yelped as the pipe connected with his arm, but shook off the pain and dived in, aiming for Kisame's face. The shark-like man raised a foot and kicked at the feisty, younger male, missing by inches. Roaring, Naruto slammed Kisame to the ground and buried both fists in him, the left one in the jaw, and the right one in his neck. Making choking noises, Kisame released his weapon and made a grab for Naruto's wrists. He missed, and cursed.

"Hold still and let me catch you, brat!" Kisame managed to choke out of his sore throat.

"Not likely, Fish Face!" Naruto snarled. "How about you hold still while I do this!" He extended a single finger and jabbed Kisame in several places along his neck and collar bone. Gasping, Kisame shuddered and went. Naruto climbed off of the unconscious man and ducked as something flew past his ear. Whirling around, he saw the last man, Sasori, holding a large, silencer-equipped pistol.

"Step away, young one. You have no idea who you're dealing with here." Disgustedly, Sasori regarded his beaten comrades. "Of course they'd make me do all the work," he grumbled to himself.

Naruto wrenched his arms away from his body and thrust them into the air. Trembling and barely containing his explosive anger, he looked away from Sasori and sent a hurried glance toward Gaara, checking to see if he was breathing. He squinted, and felt his knees weaken in relief when he saw his boyfriend's back move slowly up and down.

"Yes, he still lives. For now."

Naruto's head snapped back toward the man with the gun. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he hissed. "What do you mean, 'for now'?"

"Your friend Gaara Sabaku is a wanted man. When he screwed over Shukaku, he screwed with us. He must pay."

"Yeah, un!" Deidara chimed in from his hiding place on the ground. "Pein doesn't like it when people take from us. And Kakuzu hates when people take money from us, yeah."

"You blathering fool!" Sasori shouted. "Shut up!" He turned his head to give Deidara this order, realized his mistake, and quickly turned back.

Naruto was already in his face, driving his fist deep into Sasori's mid-section. Sasori gagged and fell to his knees, dropping his gun at his feet. Deidara squeaked, and crawled away toward the bushes. Dismissing him, Naruto dropped down beside Gaara and felt for a pulse. It was weak but steady. He thanked whatever gods there may have been, gently rolled his boyfriend over, and gasped.

Gaara was covered in blood and bruises. Naruto felt his eyes fill with burning tears, and lowered his face to his lover's neck. "Gaara," he cried. "It's gonna be okay. I'll get you out of here."

"And you're sure about that, un?" Deidara called.

"Huh?" Naruto said, raising his tear-streaked face.

"NARUTO!" Kiba screamed. The blond slowly turned toward his friend, the realization of what was probably about to happen weighing on him.

"No, Kiba! Go back! GO BACK!"

"NARUTO!"

"BANG, un!"

And the park exploded, sending blue and red and green sparks across the sky.

* * *

**Yes, I'm working on the next part. I PROMISE it won't take as long this time.**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: To thank you for your patience while enduring my long absence, here's another chapter. With any luck, I won't be away nearly as long, especially since I have another story,_ Snow in the Spring_, that I just started.**

**Disclaimer: *grumbles* Nothing, okay? I own nothing! Except these crazy ideas that pop into my head.**

* * *

Kiba sank to his knees on the sidewalk in disbelief. The early afternoon sky was lit up like a night time festival. Wondrous displays of birds, bears and snakes writhed in the air before dissipating into smoke. People were stopping and pointing at the colorful explosion in awe, but none of them seemed to notice that the center of the park was on fire.

"Naruto," Kiba whispered weakly. "Red. Shit." His right hip buzzed; he ignored it, attributing it to the fireworks shooting off into the atmosphere and shaking the ground, until he noticed that the vibrations did not stop. Fumbling, he slipped his fingers underneath his shirt to touch his belt, withdrew the slender phone from its carrying case, and dazedly answered the call.

"Kiba? Kiba. What happened?" Sai inquired. "What was that noise?"

"Naruto..." Kiba choked. "That was Naruto."

"WHAT?" he heard Shikamaru snap. A rustling sound came over the line, and then Shikamaru's voice boomed through the speaker. "Kiba! What the hell is going on?"

"The park," Kiba answered. "The park is on fire."

* * *

_Naruto coughed and wheezed. The smoke that surrounded him burned his lungs; the heat felt as if it was boiling his blood. His vision was blurry and his eyes stung. Vaguely, he knew that something bad had happened, but he could not think what. Why was he laying on ..grass? And were those trees?_

"_The park," he rasped. He swallowed, painfully, and attempted to wet his lips. "I'm in the park. Gaara. Gaara was in the park. Shit! Gaara! GAARA!" A coughing fit wracked his body and he thumped himself on the chest to make it stop. Shaking, he turned himself over and raised himself up on his knees. Through his rapidly drying eyes, he searched left and right, looking for a sign of his boyfriend._

"_Gaara!" he called as loud as he could. "GAARA!"_

"_My art is explosive, yeah!" a familiar voice rang out. Naruto swung his head in that direction and scowled._

"_Where is my Gaara?" he demanded of the blond bomber._

_Deidara's eyebrow rose. "Your Gaara? Is there something we should know, un? Last time we checked, Shukaku owned him. You, my friend, were just borrowing him, yeah."_

"_Where is he?" Naruto demanded hoarsely. "What have you done to him?"_

_Deidara chuckled. "I like you, so I'll tell you. We're taking him home to Suna. Shukaku has a special reward for him for being such a good boy." The blond's words dripped with sarcasm and Naruto felt a bad feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. "Be careful, un. Next time, we'll come for you." _

"_I won't let you take him!" Naruto growled weakly. A flash of red sent him scrambling through the smoke, calling the name of his missing lover. "Gaara! Gaara! Unf!" A kick to his side sent him sprawling to the ground. Undeterred, he rose up on all fours and crawled to Gaara's body._

_The red head was flat on his back, eyes staring at nothing. His chest rose and fell so slowly that Naruto assumed he was imaging it. "Gaara, stay with me. Gaara!" he cried, lowering his aching form to the other man's. _

_A snort sliced through the gloomy, smoky air. "This is sickening," Sasori spat. "Get rid of him."_

"_I won't let you have him!" came the muffled response. _

_Sasori tilted his head in Kisame's direction. The big man used his foot to pry Naruto away from Gaara. Once they were separated, Kisame hefted Gaara into the air and tossed the unconscious man over his shoulder. He shifted once to adjust to the extra weight, then started a slow jog toward the back entrance of the park. _

_Naruto groaned; he could hear sirens in the distance, and knew that the emergency workers and police were likely on their way to the scene. "Give Gaara back," he whispered weakly. Something smashed into his face, snapping his head back with the force of the blow. He cried out as the sky dimmed and the last thing he heard was Itachi's voice, telling him to "sleep tight, little demon."_

* * *

Bright lights and anxious whispers penetrated Naruto's clouded senses. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Was he dead? He did not remember the park's grass feeling this soft. His frown deepened. Park?

"He's waking up!"

"I am so pleased, my friends!" someone sobbed.

"You're too loud, you idiots!" an irritated female snapped.

"You all are annoying," came a lazy drawl that was pinched with concern.

"If Naruto is indeed awakening, why do you all sound so concerned? Should his awakening not be an occasion of happiness?"

"_Sleep tight, little demon."_

"_Next time, we'll come for you."_

"GAARA!" Naruto roared as he threw his body into a sitting position. Pain punched him in the gut, and he fell back onto the bed, panting and sweating.

"Calm down, you fool!" Ino shouted as she rushed to restrain him.

"Gaara," he choked. "They took him. They took Gaara!"

His friends exchanged a series of looks and pained glances, conducting a silent conversation without including the injured man. Naruto flicked his gaze from person to person, frowning when he got to a familiar female.

"Ino?" he asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Taking care of you and Lee, apparently! God, do you even know how worried I was?" She tossed her hair, dislodging her bangs, which immediately slid back into position, hiding half of her face. "You really gave us quite a scare," she said, her voice softening. She raised a trembling hand to his forehead, checking for fever. "How do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Naruto's voice rumbled from his chest. "They. Took. Gaara. How the fuck do you think I feel?" He squeezed his eyes closed and shuddered. "They took him. I couldn't protect him. I failed again. I'm such a loser." With each utterance, Kiba's hackles rose more and more until he could not stand to silently hear his friend tear himself apart any longer.

"Shut up, you stupid fuck!" Kiba yelled. Naruto's eyes popped open and spread themselves wide. He opened his mouth to protest, but Kiba held up a hand to cut him off. "Save it," the feral man bit out. "I know what you're thinking about. I know who you're thinking about. Save it! This is not the time for it."

"But they took him-"

"So get him back!" Kiba snarled with an air of finality. "Sai has an idea of where they are, and when you're better, we're going after them. They will not get away with this."

Tears filled dull blue eyes, threatening to spill down tanned cheeks. "Kiba," he sniffed.

"Fuck, I need a beer." The brunet slammed out of the room, leaving one weeping blond, one nurse, and three wide-eyed men behind.

"Tsk." Shikamaru stretched his limbs and cracked his neck. "What a pain coming here turned out to be."

"Shika!" Ino complained. "Don't be so mean!"

Ignoring her, the pony-tailed man moved to his friend's bedside and studied him. Warily, Naruto let him think.

Shikamaru Nara was a genius, all appearances to the contrary; his mind was one of the most sought after in the intelligence community. He and Naruto had met in middle school when he had been assigned to tutor the newcomer to Konoha and help bring his poor grades and test scores up to the class average. Even at that young age, the Nara has been working - unofficially - for the city's bumbling government. He advised the adults on numerous things, made many highly illegal back room deals, and saved Konoha, almost single-handed, from collapse when the mayor died in office. Despite his fame, he never put on airs, never worked harder than he had to, and always had a moment to spend with a friend.

Like now.

Shikamaru sighed. He wished for a nicotine fix, but knew that Ino would kill him for smoking in a sick person's room. "Naruto," he stated, getting right to the point. "You've been out for about a day and a half. We'll all leave the room so you can get..situated..," he said, hand flapping vaguely at something hanging from the bed side. With a scowl, Naruto followed the gesture. His eyes widened comically, and he thrust his hand under the sheets to check for himself.

"INNOOOOOO!"

"Well, it's not like you could actually get up and go to the bathroom, you know," she defended her actions. "I _am _a registered nurse. I know what I'm doing. And it's not like I've never seen you naked before."_"_Really?" Sai queried, whipping out his ever-present notebook. "Do tell," he insisted._"_As I was saying," Shikamaru continued, as he pulled on his hair, hoping the stupidity would stop, "you've been out for about a day and a half. When we come back in here, we'll need to know everything you remember. Names, faces, any special weapons, any slips of the tongue. Every piece of information we have means that we can deduce Gaara's location more exactly. Once we have that, we can go retrieve him..or his body." He looked away, bracing for the outburst he was sure would come.

Silence.

Sniffling.

Then a wail.

"You think he's DEAD, don't you? Don't you?"

"Naruto-"

"I couldn't save him!"

"Naruto-"

"I failed hi-"

Angrily, Shikamaru placed a hand around the sobbing blonde's neck and squeezed. "Shut. Up. I don't think he's dead. I hope against hope that he's not dead or in any way injured. What would I tell Temerity, his sister? How would I explain, to my wife, that I let her brother get taken and killed just as I happened to arrive in town to coordinate a sting against the very people who did it?"

The silence in the small room was suffocating.

Calming, the Nara removed his hand, flexed his fingers, and said, to the inquiring gazes, "You heard me right. Sukiyaki is going down..And I'm in charge of pulling the trigger."

Once freshly showered and clothed, Naruto sat weakly at Kiba's kitchen table, spine twitching with the strain of holding him upright. The homeowner in question was seated next to him opening his fourth beer, if the empty bottles were any indication. He sent disturbed glances at Sai, who was next to him. The artist ignored everyone except for Lee, whom he was currently sketching. Lee was on the floor, doing one-armed push-ups and counting loudly. Ino had left after begging the men to call her the moment something happened, happy that they had relied on her instead of Sakura for a change. And Shikamaru, the man who called the meeting of the minds, leaned out of an open window, lit white stick burning between his lips.

"Start talking," he ordered Naruto. "I want to hear it all, beginning with how Gaara came into your life."

* * *

It was hot.

It was dark.

His arms were locked painfully above him, and knees and legs were numb from trying to hold him in position.

His chest was tight, his throat was sore, and his mouth was dry.

The scraping sound of metal on stone made him jerk forward, rattling the chains that bound him. Gaara blinked and twisted his face away when a thin, bright light was shone on him.

"Well, hey there, Gaara," a nightmarish voice sneered. "Fancy seeing you here."

Gaara felt a shudder rip through his body. Bile burned in his stomach and bubbled up into his mouth. He retched, feeling the blood pound in his head. His bowels clenched and threatened to loosen. He knew, on some level, that this feeling was "fear."

"Naruto," he managed to rasp, closing his eyes against the ache that one name caused. He dragged a dry chuckle from his seared throat and spat, "Shukaku."

"Welcome home, Sandman."


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N**: And I'm back. Moving toward the climax of the story, so perhaps only a few chapters left. Depends on the story they tell me. In the meantime, I've started another story, titled "Snow in the Spring" which features a Neji/Lee pairing. Excuse my typos. I tried to get them all, but I got lost on the road of life when a black cat crossed my path and asked for help crossing the street.

**Disclaimer:** Nothing, okay? I own nothing! And I'm not getting paid for this, either!

**Warnings**: Language

* * *

Gaara's entire body was numb. He had no idea how long he had been balancing on his knees to keep from dislocating both shoulders, but it was long enough to annoy him. He passed the time thinking of ways to disembowel Shukaku, worrying about how Naruto was taking his disappearance, and hoping that Naruto was alright.

Naruto.

_Shit._

"_You've lost him," _his father's ghost chuckled in his head. "_Even if he's not dead, there's no way he's coming for you. Stop dreaming, you monster, and be grateful; you're back where you belong."_

Gaara cursed and thrashed, showing signs of life for the first time since his capture. He stiffened when he noticed an oddly timid presence in the room with him. He swept his gaze over the length and width of his cage and, seeing no one, lifted his head to peer through the bars.

The dungeon, as the large room was known, was dimly lit, using only two naked bulbs of the lowest wattage possible. Cages of various sizes, such as the one Gaara currently resided in, lined the walls. The floor was lined with tile, and drains appeared in several places. There was an area in the back were the captives could shower, but only under heavy guard.

His eyes adjusting to the light, Gaara could make out the form of a small person, perhaps a female, standing directly in front of his temporary home.

"Gaara," the person breathed, and he felt himself relax.

"Matsuri," he croaked. He flicked out his tongue to lick his dry lips, but could not produce any saliva. He frowned at this, trying to calculate how long it had been since he'd had anything to eat or drink. Given the weakness in his body and the growing pain in his head, he imagined it had been a while, perhaps a couple of days.

"I brought you food and water. And clothes. You can take a shower. You may move freely, but only inside of these 'special accommodations', Master Shukaku said," the girl told him. Her words and manner were stiff and stilted, as if she was reciting a speech.

"Matsuri," Gaara broke in, "what happened to you?"

She scoffed. "Now you care what happens to me?"

"Matsuri," he began, but she rushed ahead, forgetting that she was ordered to remain distant and unemotional.

"You left me! You ran away and left me here! They knew you were training me; they made me take your place in the pit," the young woman practically spat.

Frozen, Gaara forced out, "I'm sorry."

"Your sorry doesn't mean shit! I almost died, you asshole. How could you leave me here?" Her voice cracked and her form trembled in the dim light. Appearing to collect herself, she produced a ring of keys and unlocked the gate.

Stepping into the cage, she kept her eyes trained on Gaara. Moving slowly, she reached up with shaking hands and and grabbed the padlock with a firm hand. With a practiced motion, she undid the lock, and unwound the chains from his wrists and forearms. His limbs fell heavily to his side, and he hissed in pain as the blood begin to circulate properly. His weakened legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the cold, tile floor.

"Matsuri," he murmured, meaning to ask for her assistance in getting to the shower and to apologize again. He also wanted to explain to her that he couldn't stay, that he had a loved and a home waiting for him, but the sound of a cocking gun effectively dried up his words.

"Don't try anything funny. Shukaku wants you alive, but he didn't say I couldn't defend myself. Get up and shower. You smell bad. After that, you can eat."

"I can't move my body," he growled at her through clenched teeth.

"Crawl," she shot back, and waited for him to move.

He forced himself into a sitting position, wincing inwardly at every movement and the tingles they caused. Stalling, he struck up a conversation, which would have been so unlike him before he had met the blond.

Naruto.

_Naruto._

He growled. "How long have I been here?" he managed to rasp.

Matsuri frowned and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "Just a few days. Why? Got somewhere to be?"

He grunted in a noncommittal way, hoping she would not ask anything more on that subject. He flexed his fingers and toes, hating how weakened he was. "Is there a time limit on recovery?"

"Your next fight is scheduled for Friday night, which is about eighteen hours from now." She frowned again, and snapped, "And I know what you're doing. Nice try. Get up." When the male on the floor in front of her did not move, she nudged him with her foot. "Get up!"

Though the pain was agonizing, over the years Gaara had gotten used to hiding his true condition. Slipping his usual stoic mask into place, he rose to his feet. Only a careful observer would have noticed the slight narrowing of his eyes, which was the sole indication of his discomfort. Steeling himself, he shuffled a tad bit unsteadily out of his cage.

He was free, to an extent. From experience, he knew the shower would be brief and cold; the clothes he was expected to wear would be the bare minimum, most likely just a tank top and shorts. As a prisoner and as a fighter, he had no use for shoes or any material that might restrict his movements. He could smell his meal from where it sat on the floor: oatmeal, vegetable protein "meat" chunks, and milk. He needed his strength to fight, after all. After he won, Shukaku would probably offer him a full meal, but only if his win was satisfactory.

Reaching the shower area, he turned his back to his guard, and stripped off his clothes. He snatched up the block of soap that sung from a plastic hook just as Matsuri flipped the water on. Ducking under the cool spray, he made quick work of cleaning the grime, dirt, and blood from his body. Replacing the soap, he rinsed and nodded, and the water was shut off. Using his hands, his pushed the access water from his skin and squeezed it from his hair. He did not bother to ask for a towel; he knew that the temperature would be raised in his cell in an attempt to prepare him for the pit where the nearing contest would take place.

Feeling more in control of his limbs and appendages, Gaara shuffled back toward the space that was designated for him. He pulled on the faded, wrinkled clothing that Matsuri kicked toward him without complaint, picked up the tray of his rapidly cooling food, and walked into his cell. Setting the tray on the floor, he sat cross-legged in front of it, and shoveled cold oatmeal into his mouth using the plastic spoon provided for him.

Refusing to look anywhere except at his food, Gaara tried to think clearly. He had eighteen hours to plan an escape, or at least to rid himself and the world of Shukaku and the Akatsuki. Eighteen hours, and he would either be free to fly to Naruto's arms, or die trying.

_Naruto, I'm sorry. I love you._

* * *

"Dammit, Ino, stop poking me!" Naruto snapped at the female. "I said I'm fine." He tried in vain to push the nurse off of his lap. She had, with Sai's help, straddled him to take his temperature and check his vitals. She also needed to change the few bandages there were left on his back and shoulders, but Naruto being Naruto was eager to get up and begin his self-appointed mission to rescue his boyfriend.

"Stay still, you idiot! I don't care how fast you heal; you were burned and beaten. You inhaled smoke. You fought more than one person and you've been stressed out and worrying the entire time! Sai! Hold him down, or so help me, you'll be next;" Ino threatened.

"I feel sympathy for Naruto's plight. I am not fond of medical exams, either," Sai offered. "I read in a book once..."

"Save it, creep. Just hold him down. I'm almost done."

Naruto ground his teeth together. "Fine." He stopped thrashing and lay back obediently. "Just hurry up. It's been three days since they stole him. I can't wait any longer. I have to get him back! Where's Shikamaru?"

"He went to meet with some people from his office," Sai answered from somewhere over Naruto's shoulder. "He promised to return with what he hopes will be good news." As he finished speaking, a door slammed shut elsewhere in the house. Heavy footsteps thundered up the stairs and down the hall.

Kiba burst into the room, panting slightly. "Shikamaru's back. Now we can get started, fuck yeah!"

Naruto tried to leap from the bed, but Ino planted a kneecap in his gut. "I didn't say you could move yet!" she yelled.

"This is annoying," Naruto snarled. "He's out there, being tortured or something, and I'm laying here with a girl on my lap."

"Some of us would appreciate that," Kiba quipped and snorted in amusement.

"Fuck you, Kiba!"

"Hey, my name's not Gaara; don't get us confused!"

"Stupid men," Ino mumbled. "Let him go, Sai." The man complied, and Ino clambered off of Naruto and the bed. "Now look here, idiot, because I'll say this once: you have to be careful. Some of the deeper wounds aren't healed yet, and if you run around trying to be Superman, you could rupture something and die."

"But I can fight, right?" the blond male questioned the nurse. She gaped at him.

"Did you not hear me?"

"I heard you, but this is important!"

"Are you trying to die? What good are you going to be if you die? I'm sure this Gaara doesn't want a dead boyfriend! Gods, Sakura was actually right; you people _are_nuts!"

Naruto ignored the woman's tirade and waved away the offers of help from both Sai and Kiba. His body was stiff but not so much as to be incapacitating. He sat up, eager to be out of bed, and almost groaned. At last second, he stifled it and passed it off as a cough. Ignoring the concerned gazes of his friends, he stood, swayed, caught himself, and stretched. He ran a hand over the bandages he could reach and flinched. He didn't think he'd had _that _much damage done to him. Worse, if he was in this state, what was Gaara going through?

"I need to change those," Ino crashed through his thoughts and reminded him.

"And I need a shower. And no, I don't need help, Sai," he said. "I can do this. I have to do this. I'll get cleaned up, then I'll come downstairs, grab some food, and Ino can change my bandages or whatever. Then, since Shikamaru's back, we can plan this thing out. I have the weirdest feeling that we're running out of time."

* * *

"We're running out of time" were the words Shikamaru greeted his injured friend with.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, pushing away his bowl of instant ramen. "What do you know?"

"I have a contact in Suna that's close to the Akatsuki-controlled fighting ring. This person tells me that Gaara is alive, but may not be much longer."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Naruto shouted. He squeezed his hands into fists and slammed them on the table. "What are we waiting for? It'll take at least ten hours to drive over there, and that's if we only stop for gas."

"We're not driving over there; that's not part of the plan," Shikamaru drawled as he lit up a fresh cigarette.

"The hell we're not!" Naruto snarled. "I'll drive my damn self if I have to!"

Shikamaru sighed and blew out a stream of smoke. He was developing a headache, and hadn't slept or watched the clouds in almost two full days. He was beginning to get annoyed, and as much as he loved his friend and sympathized with his situation, he was about three minutes way from planting his fist in the blond man's face.

Part of the predicament he was in, Shikamaru knew, was his own fault. There were rules about conflicts of interest and involving civilians, and Shikamaru had probably broken at least half a dozen of them. Rubbing his temples, he spoke the magic words to calm down his overexcited, grief-stricken friend.

"I have a plan," he said, and instantly Naruto clamped his lips together. "But it's risky, and it involves all of us getting on a military plane and flying there as part of this operation."

"I'm listening," Naruto whispered. I'll do anything."

"If Naruto goes, then I'm going," Kiba puffed out his chest. "I can't say that Red is my favorite person, but my best friend loves him so what the hell, eh?"

"I will lend my my assistance if it is needed," Sai offered. "I read in a book once that these are the types of things friends do for each other."

"Oh, the burning youth in this room!" Lee cried. "I, too, will happily offer my assistance to rescue Naruto's beloved. This beautiful display has moved me," he wept.

The five males turned as one unit toward Ino. She looked up from packing her medical supplies and frowned. "Uh uh. No way. I'm not getting dragged into this. You guys are enough trouble on this side of the country."

"If someone dies because we did not have adequate medical knowledge, should we blame you?" Sai queried.

The corners of Ino's mouth turned down. "Way to make me feel guilty, you creep!" With a huff, she nodded. "Fine. I have some vacation time I should probably take. When are we leaving and how long will we be gone?"

"The plane leaves tomorrow morning," Shikamaru informed his crew. "Sixteen hours from now, Gaara is scheduled to fight another underground legend, a man who goes by the name of 'Chidori'." Here, the genius frowned. "I should warn you, especially you, Naruto."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Because," Shikamaru said, taking a deep breath, "I have it on good authority that 'Chidori' is none other than Sasuke Uchiha."


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Um.. surprise?**

**Disclaimer: I'm poor, my name is not Kishimoto, and I own nothing except the plot and random original charcters with small speaking roles.**

* * *

Gaara stared blankly at the wall, wishing, for once, that he could sleep over the madness that threatened to invade his mind. Sleeping would solve so many of his problems at this juncture, he supposed. It would help to pass the time, it would help heal his body, and it would help him see his blond, even if only in his dreams. He hoped that Naruto was not too upset with his sudden disappearance. He also hoped the blond man was not trying to do something stupid.

Like rescue him.

_"Oh, please! Like anyone'd come for you!"_

"No one asked you," Gaara responded calmly.

_"Well, maybe they should have!"_

Ignoring the voice of his dead father, Gaara tried to clear his mind, and instead found himself thinking about his siblings, Temari and Kankuro, and Temari's husband, Shikamaru. Though they feared him, they were nice enough to him, and, for the first time in his life, Gaara felt a twinge of pain in his chest as he remembered the last conversation they had had.

_Dad's dead,_ Temari informed him.

_Good riddance_, Gaara replied.

_Gaara! He was our father!_

_No._ Gaara stood. _He was _your_ father, never mine._

_Because you wouldn't let him-_

_Kankuro. Temari. Stop._ Shikamaru intervened._ Gaara, I know it's been hard for you-_

_You don't know. You don't know anything._

_So tell us_! Temari pleaded._ Stop fighting and come home!_

_I have no home._

_Gaara!_ Temari cried after him as he walked away. _GAARA!_

In his mind, his sister's voice mingled with another blond's, calling him, caressing him.

_"Gaara, I love you," Naruto said._

"I love you, too," Gaara told his memory.

"Isn't that sweet?" Shukaku's cold voice broke harshly into Gaara's thoughts. "Thinking about that kid you scammed, eh?" Gaara narrowed his eyes at the sound of footsteps and the rank smells of smoke and wine that neared his cell. He saw the small group's shadows fall across the wall in front of him, and refused to acknowledge them.

Knowing it was safer not to take Shukaku's bait at times such as these, Gaara remained silent and waited for the orders he knew were coming. He balled his hands into fists; he could feel his nails digging into his palms with the force.

"Listen, brat. Tonight, you have the fight of your life. While you were prancing through the fucking daisies with your boy-toy, this kid, what's his name? Chidori?" He consulted someone with him. "Yeah, 'Chidori.' He's been bursting through the ranks, taking down cats left and right. And now he's coming for you."

"So?" Gaara couldn't resist asking.

"So you'll take him down. You'll win. Or else."

"Or else?"

Shukaku growled. "Or you'd better hope he kills you so I won't have to. I want my money. You will win."

Lifting one shoulder nonchalantly, Gaara shrugged. He would do what he had always done: survive.

* * *

Shikamaru Nara took a long pull from his cigarette and grimaced. He only had a few hours to finish the pack before he jumped on the plane and returned to Suna; he needed to be smoke-smelling free before he re-entered his wife's space. She hated him smoking, calling it a nasty habit, regardless of how and when it started.

"Troublesome woman," he grumbled, flicking the still-burning butt into the bucket of sand a comrade had kindly delivered to him. He pushed off the wall of the ANBU headquarters, and walked through the sliding doors. Bright, fluorescent lights blinded him, and he allowed his eyelids to droop. With a tsk of annoyance, he headed to the room where he had dumped his friends to be briefed on the situation and what would be expected of them in this operation.

Shikamaru passed several men and women who saluted him or nodded their heads in respect. Waving lazily, he noted who did what and filed it away for future reference. Personally, he did not care about political standing, or keeping track of who owes whom a favor, but it was his job to know, and he took his job seriously. He worked hard, and vacationed even harder. Hoping to release some of the tension that had built up, he cracked his neck and, arriving at the so-called "war room", pushed open the door.

It was worse than he expected.

Kiba was making doughnut art, Sai was quizzing Ino on why it was impolite to ask a woman her weight, Ino was screeching and throwing pencils at Sai, Lee was doing push-ups on the floor, and Naruto.. Naruto was sitting in a corner by himself, shredding paper napkins. The three agents he assigned to watch over his friends jumped to their feet when Shikamaru entered; they wore identical expressions of exasperation on their faces.

"Nara, sir," the youngest - and only female - agent greeted him. "We have been unable to keep the order in here. We have tried to impress upon them the seriousness of this situation; however-"

Shikamaru waved his arm, mentally cursing the amount of effort required to do so. "It's fine," he sighed. "I'll brief them myself. You three may leave." When none of the agents moved, the Nara male lifted an eyebrow. "Was there something you needed?"

"Sir, with all due respect," spoke a muscular male in a suit, "we have some..concerns..about these civilians."

"Let me worry about them," Shikamaru snapped. "Dismissed."

"Yes, sir," the female said, throwing a meaningful glance at her companions. As they left the conference room, Shikamaru tsked again. "How troublesome."

Hearing the door close, Ino was the first to react. "Oh, Shikamaru! When did you get here? And who was that guy in the suit? He was kind of hot. Oh, and please tell Sai to stop talking; he's annoying me."

Shikamaru closed his eyes and sighed. _This was going to be so troublesome._

When he reopened his eyes, a pair of bright blue ones were inches away and staring at him intense concentration.

"Ack," Shikamaru articulated brilliantly, wondering how Naruto had gotten so close to him without him noticing. The blond man was not known for stealth. The Nara male narrowed his eyes in thought. _Or perhaps he is known for stealth, thanks to the upbringing he had from Kyuubi, and we just never noticed. This guy could possibly be hiding a high level of power and intelligence underneath the loveable idiot facade._

"Shika," Naruto said in a low voice, "we got the basic from those assholes you sent in here, but I still don't know exactly how this is going to work. Gaara is my priority, not the Akatsuki or Sas - this Chidori dude." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the fleeting, painful expression that crossed the blond's face, but wisely did not comment on it.

"It's a raid," Shikamaru sighed. "A clean sweep. We're blasting in through the front door and neutralizing every single person there. Everybody will be arrested and questioned. The criminals get locked up, and the civilians will be released. Gaara, while technically a civilian, will probably end up in lock up, at least for a while." Shikamaru scanned the room, and noticed that his friends were trying hard to pretend that they were not paying attention. "Keep in mind that I can be arrested for this."

"So, Gaara..?"

"They snatched him from you; you snatch him back from them."

"What about Sasuke?" Ino called loudly.

"What about him?" Shikamaru and Naruto asked in unison.

Ino stood, smacking away Sai's creeping hands and placing a hand on her hip. "You've always promised to bring him back," she directed at her fellow blond.

"I am going," Naruto said, "to get Gaara back."

"Then listen very carefully to everything I am about to tell you," Shikamaru ordered.

Naruto gave the lazy genius his full attention, even going as far as taking away Kiba's doughnut art and forcing him to listen as well. He motioned for Sai to take notes, and sat on Lee's back in an attempt to stop the man's constant training. He shot an evil look at Ino when she tried to excuse herself to the bathroom, and asked questions that no one else had thought of.

Shocked though he was, Shikamaru kept a bored expression on his face the entire time. I was right, he thought. The idiot is no idiot. With proper training, he could a monster. I need to watch him.

After running through the plan several more times, the Nara was satisfied that everyone their roles and lines. Desperately craving a lung-full of nicotine, he directed to the locker room where they could store their personal effects and pick up ANBU flight suits. As Naruto disappeared around a corner, Shikamaru slipped the thin, white stick between his lips and narrowed his eyes in concentration. Somehow, he did not think that the blond male would follow the plan, but that was okay; Shikamaru had plenty of plans, and each one of them revolved around Naruto.

_I'm actually excited_, he thought. _First time for everything._

And Shikamaru smiled.

* * *

Gaara warily eyed the small bundle of material Matsuri impatiently held out to him.

"Why?"

"Because Shukaku and the higher ups said so." The girl shook the items with a sour expression on her face. "Just take them and put them on!"

"Why?"

"Dammit, Gaara! Don't be such an ass," she hissed. Her voice echoed in the stone and concrete prison, making the tired man wince slightly. "This is what you're wearing in the fight. Take them."

"I have clothing."

"Well they're giving you new clothing! Be grateful they're not sending you out naked."

"I wouldn't care if they did," stated Gaara, thinking that it would be good for some of the blood thirsty audience members to see exactly who he was.

"Why do you do this, Gaara? You always make your situation so much worse by defying them!" Matsuri, for all of her anger and bitterness, allowed some of her other emotions to shine through the fog of betrayal. Emotions like fear. Definitely fear.

Impassively, Gaara dragged his cold eyes to the young woman's face. He observed her shimmering eyes, took in the pinched look that she got when she was trying not to cry, and made a decision. Lifting one hand, he offered it to her, palm up, gesturing toward the clothes. He would never admit it, but her words affected him deeply. He wondered if he had, indeed, made things worse by fighting every order. He had to remember that his original plans were no longer valid; he had a reason to stay alive.

_Naruto._

With a tired shrug, Gaara stripped out of his cell clothing, and began pulling on the special fight garments. From the feel of the material, someone was investing a lot of money into this event. The shorts were sand-colored and made of a lightweight, flexible material. The shirt was more of a vest; wine-colored and smooth, it fit like a second skin. There were also bandages to wrap his hands and feet in, and a small stick of kohl to line his eyes. Gaara raised an eyebrow at that; someone had actually paid attention to his make-up habits?

"That was me," Matsuri mumbled, seeing the confusion on his face. "I remember you liked the waterproof kind."

"Why? I thought you hated me."

"..." The woman sighed. "I'm unhappy, yes, but I don't hate you. I just wanted you to take me with you." She bent double and gathered up the discarded clothing, keeping herself busy and avoiding looking into Gaara's face. "When they brought you back, I could tell you'd changed. You seem..happier, more at peace."

"I met someone," Gaara said. Refusing to elaborate, he changed the subject. "Who is 'Chidori'?"

"Some guy from Konoha, they say. Supposedly, he's looking for his brother, and wants to kill him."

Gaara titled his head to the side. Konoha? Brother? He frowned, trying to remember why that biography sounded so familiar.

"I was in Konoha," he volunteered, hoping to keep the female talking.

"Oh?" She straightened, and held the soiled garments to her chest. "Maybe you've heard of him. They say his name is Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha." A sudden stillness clouded the air, making her feel as if she was losing air. She recognized the hot waves of intense, murderous intent rolling off of Gaara. She squinted at him, trying to see what caused this sudden change. "Gaara?" she questioned the male.

Gaara's body hummed with energy; he could feel something ugly forming in his chest at the name Matsuri dared utter.

"Sasuke. U. Chi. Ha. Must. Die."

"What? Gaara, what's going on? Do you know this guy?"

"He hurt Naruto. He must pay," the redhead growled.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:**_ ... Happy birthday? _

_No, really, my apologies. A black crossed my path on the road of life, then I got lost in my thoughts and tried to help a chicken cross the street and.. you're not buying this at all, are you?_

**Disclaimer**: _I do not own Naruto, or its characters, and I most certainly am not making any money from this story. Though it would be nice._

**Warning**_s: Foul language, mainly from Kiba._

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki liked many things, namely, miso ramen, his Gaara, his friends, and being praised by Iruka. Naruto Uzumaki also disliked many things, namely those things like running out of miso ramen, losing Gaara, being betrayed by his friends, and being scolded by Iruka. If there was going to be a list of things that Naruto Uzumaki absolutely hated, flying in the belly of a military plane would indubitably top this list. Directly underneath that, the list would include "flying in the belly of a military plane with Kiba."

And Sai.

And Lee.

And Ino.

And members of ANBU.

Naruto considered including Shikamaru on that list, but the lazy ass spent most of the flight sleeping. _At least he's quiet,_ Naruto thought, _unlike these other assholes. _He glared at his collection of friends, growling softly when Kiba dared Lee to do 200 spin kicks in the narrow aisle between benches without hitting anyone in the face. Lee, always up for a challenge, sprang to his feet after undoing the harness-like seat belt and readied himself to spin.

"Lee," Naruto grumbled. "Sit down."

"But my wonderful friend, Kiba has challenged me to a most manly and youthful competition! I must undertake this task, lest I fail and have to complete 2,000 push-ups using just my thumbs," Lee explained carefully.

Naruto developed a sudden twitch in his left eye. "Kiba," he said softly, "stop being stupid. Besides, we're almost there. We need to get ready."

"But I'm bored as fuck!" Kiba yelled. "Ino won't flash me, and Sai is being creepy, as usual. You're sulking, the lazy ass is sleep, and there's no way in hell I'm talkin' to those ANBU assholes."

"Kiba," Naruto said, "if you don't shut the fuck up and stop being a stupid ass, I'm going to yank your spinal cord out through your left nostril!" There was a short, shocked silence from everyone aboard the plane before Sai spoke up.

"I'm pretty sure that's is not scientifically possible," Sai said, flipping through his notes. "If I recall, the nostril measures a simple-"

"Alright, knock it off," a tired sounding voice drawled. "I'll never get any sleep like this, so I might as well brief you on the final plans." Shikamaru stretched and yawned, rolling his shoulders and rotating his neck. "First, we need to-"

"Kick some ass, take some names, and get Gaara back," Naruto finished the genius's statement.

"Erm..no, Naruto. My plans are a bit more complex than that." Sharp black eyes studied eyes that, once brilliant, had dulled to a flat, uninteresting blue. Shikamaru knew that Naruto was upset at gaara's capture, anxious to retrieve him, and still suffering from injuries. He also knew, or at least suspected, that the blond was making a series of plans of his own. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in concentration. Naruto's earlier outburst at Lee and Kiba proved his level of frustration and revealed a darker, more violent side of Naruto that no one, except perhaps Kyuubi and Jiraya, the blond's godfather, had ever noticed. _Interesting_, Shikamaru thought. _This is actually exciting. _

"So let's hear it, then," Naruto prompted the strategist. "Tell me, o great one, how are we going to infiltrate the fighting grounds and get my boyfriend back?"

"Before we start, Naruto, I need to ask: knowing that Sasuke will be there, is your focus entirely on getting Gaara back, or are you still going to try and save Sasuke, too? Because if you are, I might need you to sit this one out."

"No way!" Naruto exclaimed, struggling with the straps that held him in his seat. "You can't do this to me!"

"I see," Sai said. "Shikamaru needs to know where your loyalties lie before we go in. If there is any chance you'll waver, you could blow this entire mission - and possibly lose both Gaara and Sasuke."

Ino spoke up for the first time. "As much as I hate to say this, Naruto, it's time to let Sasuke go. He tried to kill Sakura, he tried to kill you, and he left on his own. He doesn't deserve this loyalty of yours. He's a traitor. Gaara, though, loves you, in his own way, right?"

Naruto ground his teeth together. "None of you understand," he said. "I made a promise."

"So you don't love Red, then?" Kiba questioned him.

"Of course I love Gaara!"

"Then," Shikamaru said, "choose one. Who, exactly, are we going to save?"

Naruto felt everyone's eyes on him. He lowered his own and studied the shiny toes of his brand new, ANBU-issued boots. He opened and closed his fists, flexing his fingers and trying to buy time. In the end, he knew he had to give them an answer.

"Gaara," he offered quietly. "We're going to save Gaara."

Shikamaru nodded, as if he was expecting that answer. "Alright, then. Here's Plan A."

* * *

Obsidian eyes flicked across the stadium-style building, taking in the the seating arrangements, the crowds of people cheering and jeering, and, most importantly, the large, fenced in area in which the next fight would take place.

"A cage," he spoke to the man next to him. He turned to look into eyes that had taken on a yellow hue, thanks to whatever drugs the man had taken for most of his life. "You neglected to tell me I would be fighting in a cage, Orochimaru."

"Sasuke," the man hissed, stressing the s-sound in the younger male's name. "Does it matter? If you win this, Akatsuki will take notice of you, and you will have Itachi's attention. This is what we've worked for!"

"Can you guarantee that my brot - that man - will be here?" the dark-eyed man questioned his trainer.

"According to my information," said a silver-haired man as he adjusted the glasses on his nose, "Itachi Uchiha holds a very high position in the organization, and is deeply involved in this unsavory activity. He is, most likely, already watching you from somewhere."

"Kabuto!" barked Orochimaru, but Sasuke was no longer listening.

_He's here, _thought Sasuke. _Finally. All I have to do is beat this Sandperson, and I can show Itachi that I'm ready to take him down!_

Out loud, Sasuke said, "Let's go," in the general direction of his trainer and the man's assistant. He worked his way toward the large cage, side-stepping people and ignoring the whispers that floated over his head.

"It's Chidori!" a feminine voice squealed. "I never imagined he'd be so handsome!"

"He looks weak," a deep voice said with a chuckle.

"But Sandman looks that way, too, and he always wins. Always," someone chastised the speaker.

"My money's on Sandman!"

"Then I'll take this one," a familiar voice caressed Sasuke's ear. "Foolish little brother." Sasuke whirled around, dropping automatically into a defensive stance. His eyes darted around, but there was no sign of the man who had spoken.

"Save it for the ring, Sasuke," Orochimaru snapped.

"Hn." He relaxed his muscles, and continued his trek. He was more alert, however, checking each shadow and crowd he passed, looking for the distinctive male that was his older brother. He noticed nothing and no one out of the ordinary, and was beginning to think that he had imagined it. He reached the large battle field, and realized that it was smaller than he had originally thought. With a grunt, he shucked off his white shirt, and handed it to Kabuto. He ascended the stairs, and upon reaching the top, removed his shoes and socks. He wore only a pair of navy blue, tight-fitting jeans and a pair of soft, dark blue wrist bands. Without a backward glance he entered the cage that would decide his fate.

* * *

The ANBU aircraft landed in an open field, maneuvering easily around a few tents and several open-frame trucks. One by one, Naruto and his friends exited the bulky carrier, gathered together away from the ANBU members, and regarded them with suspicion.

Ino broke the tense silence. "Seriously, what are we doing? We're way out of our league." She tossed a handful of pale, blond hair over her shoulder, and fumbled in the bulky vest pocket of her borrowed clothing for a hair band.

"If you're chickening out, I can go by myself," Naruto grumbled. He saw movement from the corner of his eye, and quickly dodged the punch Kiba threw toward him. "What the hell, Kiba?"

"I should be fucking asking you that!" Kiba spat. "You're my best fucking friend, you think I'd let you do this alone? And the Uchiha asshole is here, too? You so fucking stupid sometimes, Naruto, I swear!"

"We joined you in the spirit of camaraderie and youth, Naruto! We are here because we wish to be!" Lee pumped a fist in the air and did a little dance.

"If you die, can I have your laptop?" Sai asked.

Ino punched him.

"It was just a question," Sai muttered from his place on the ground.

"You guys," Naruto sighed. He vision was blurry; he wiped away the moisture that had formed in the corners of his eyes. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this."

"Yo," Shikamaru called to his civilian friends. "Are we doing this or what?"

"Sir, yes sir!" the group all yelled, then burst into giggles.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru said with a smile. He motioned them over to join his group. When everyone was assembled, he began to speak.

"We're about 10 miles away from the building where they hold the fights. They probably know we're here, but that's fine. They're not going to stop the fight just because we showed up. We have trucks, ATVs, and a chopper on stand-by. I want you guys," he nodded toward his friends, "in one of the trucks, with one of my guys driving. All of the equipment has GPS; our destination had already been programmed."

"I'm driving one of those trucks," Kiba announced, "and I won't take no for an answer. We're going ourselves, as one group, without your ANBU assholes."

"Kiba,' Shikamaru warned, then sighed. He had already expected this. "Fine, we'll go with Plan B, then. Kiba drives, Sai takes shotgun, Lee will be-"

"What about Naruto?" Sai asked. "Is he a part of this plan?"

Shikamaru's head snapped up, confused. "Of course he is," he said. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because," Lee explained with shiny eyes, "he has taken the spirit of wild youth - and one of your ATVs." The group watched in horror as Naruto sped off on the small, 4-wheeled vehicle. He was undoubtedly headed toward the fighting grounds.

"Well, shit," Shikamaru cursed. "Fuck it. We're going with Plan F." He lifted an eyebrow when Kiba snickered. "What?!"

"You're supposed to be so smart, but you just skipped a bunch of letters in the alphabet. Ah ha ha, that's fucking funny!" Kiba doubled over with laughter, clutching at his stomach.

Sai looked toward their leader. "Will I be punished if he accidentally dies by friendly fire?"

Shikamaru fumbled for the familiar box in his pocket, and stuffed a cigarette in his mouth. "I might be persuaded to look the other way." Lighting the stick, he inhaled deeply, and slowly breathed out. "Let's roll!" he yelled, making motion with his free hand. The people scattered, breaking off into groups, and racing to execute the plan that Shikamaru ordered.

* * *

Sasuke waited for the fight to begin in his corner of the cage. To the casual observer, he would appear sleep; his eyes were closed, and his chest moved up and down evenly. A more intuitive watcher would assume that he was deep into meditation. Only a handful of people who really knew Sasuke would know the truth: he was fuming. And when an Uchiha fumes, they are very, very dangerous.

He perked up, internally, when he spied motion on the other side of the cage. He stood, just as the announcer's voice boomed over the PA system.

"Introducing today's challenger, CHIDOOOOORI!" Sasuke silenced the few jeers with an icy glare. A collective shiver went through the crowd, and the whispers started again.

"This kid might have a chance," a man shouted. "I'm changing my bet!"

The announcer plowed on with the introductions. "And the undefeated champion of the desert, the SANAAAADMAAAN!" The arena erupted in cheers and whistles. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, and focused on sizing up his opponent. He choked when he saw the other man, and snorted derisively.

His opponent looked young, with wild red hair, and a curious tattoo on one side of his forehead. He wearing a vest and shorts, and had bandages wrapped around his hands and feet. His head was bowed, whether in fear or boredom, Sasuke was unable to tell.  
Sasuke waited until the smaller male was locked in his side of the cage before casually walking to the divider that stood between them. "Hey, he called. "You're the Sandman?"

Silence.

Sasuke tsked and looked around. After what seemed like forever, he heard a motor start up. The divider lifted, allowing the men to get close.

"Hey," Sasuke said. "Hey! Are you ignoring me?"

Gaara lifted his head, and Sasuke found himself staggering backward, unable to breath underneath that stifling, hate-filled gaze.

"Sasuke," Gaara rasped.

"Hn?" Sasuke's head snapped back. "How do you know that?"

"Sasuke," Gaara repeated. "Sasuke. U. Chi. Ha. You hurt him."

"Who?"

"You must die, Sasuke Uchiha. You hurt my Naruto, and you must pay."

"Naruto?!" Stunned, Sasuke cocked his head to the side. "You know that moron?"

"You will not speak of him that way," Gaara snarled. He tilted his head to the side, as if listening. Nodding, he refocused on Sasuke, just as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of their fight. "You. Will. Pay. My Naruto. You hurt him. You must die."


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Here's a quick (okay, not quick, just short) update to move the story further while I try to fix my life.**

**Disclaimer: _I do not own Naruto or it's characters._**

* * *

Itachi Uchiha scanned the cheering crowd from his perch in Akatsuki's private box, located high up, near the very top of the stands. When the fighters were announced, he turned slightly toward the glass that separated the box from the general public and focused on the circular cage where the match was taking place. Dark brows drew together as he watched his younger brother, Sasuke, also known as Chidori, try and fail to deflect a rain of blows from Gaara's fists. The small red-haired male was talented and deadly; Sasuke, even with all of his training, could only barely defend. The elder Uchiha snorted in derision for the benefit of his teammates; inside, however, he was quaking with fear.

"Foolish little brother," he muttered. He wanted to rush down to the ring, stop the fight, and wish his brother away. Bowing his head, Itachi mourned the relationship he used to have with Sasuke, one that died the night their parents did. Itachi forced himself to watch as his most beloved person went down to the mat - hard - and struggled to rise. A slight movement made the elder Uchiha stiffen. Sasuke twisted his body, and rammed an elbow into Gaara's thigh. The red-head staggered backward, though there was no expression of pain on his face. No expression of any kind was on his face, Itachi noticed; Gaara had lost the wild-eyed, murderous glare he had fixed on Sasuke the moment they met. Curious, he leaned forward, but sadly, he was too far away to get a good read on the emotions of the smaller male.

"I'm going down to the ring," he announced, turning to face his teammates. "I want to see for myself if my younger brother is worth my time."

Kisame drained the contents of whatever bottle he was drinking from, and slammed the empty container onto a side table. He pushed himself to his feet and said, "I'm goin' with ya."

"It's fine," Itachi stated. "I can go alone." He moved to open the door; Kisame slapped his palm against to, effectively holding it shut. "What is it, Kisame?"

"You know the rules, Weasel," the large male said in a serious tone, calling Itachi by his hated nickname. "We move in teams of two, or not at all."

"Come if you must." Itachi knocked Kisame's hand away and wrenched the door open. Stepping through the doorway, he adjusted his suit jacket, and straightened his red-cloud spotted necktie. Without waiting to see if Kisame was following him, Itachi made his way down to the elevator located immediately to the left of the viewing room.

The elevator stood with its doors open, waiting to receive passengers. The elder Uchiha stepped in and pressed the button for the main floor where the arena was located. He half hoped that the doors would close before Kisame entered, but he had no such luck. The large man barreled through the doors just as they began to slid together.

The trip down was short, uneventful, and full of tense silence. Itachi was, by nature, a man of few words. Kisame could talk enough for the both of them, however, he was strangely silent at the moment. Internally, Itachi began to sweat. Did Akatsuki know of his plans to save his brother? Was Kisame assigned a mission to dispose of him? As the elevator docked, and the doors opened, Itachi was no closer to an answer to his questions. Thankfully, he did not have to think about it for too much longer.

The crowd around the cage was thick; elbows and knees flew among the audience as tempers flared both in and out of the ring. A few people noticed the distinctive cloud pattern that Itachi and Kisame wore and moved out of the way, tapping the people in front of them and nodding in the direction of the two Akatsuki members. A path opened up, granting a direct, unmolested course to the side of the ring.

Sasuke grunted in pain as his knee hit the mat for the fifth time. He had never expected the Sandman to be this tough of an opponent. He had won his other fights with minimal effort. But now, narrowly dodging a sharp kick aimed at his head, Sasuke had to wonder what he had gotten himself into. And - wait - hadn't this kid said something about Naruto? How did he know the idiot? Eyes narrowed in thought, the youngest living Uchiha male dragged himself to his feet and fell into a fighting stance, once again.

As he spun around the ring, he managed to stop a kick to his abdomen. Grabbing the offending appendage, he twisted it at the ankle and flipped the red-haired male. The crowd roared in appreciation, and Sasuke allowed their praise to distract him momentarily. His eyes widened at a very familiar face standing right outside of the cage.

"Itachi," he growled, blinked, and the next thing he saw were spots and stars. the Sandman has just tried to put him to sleep! "Motherfucker," he breathed as he weaved from side to side. His battered hands flew to his head, as if to hold it steady. He blinked rapidly in an attempt to stave of the encroaching darkness.

"You're not good enough for Naruto!" Gaara roared at the dazed male in front of him. The crowd hushed, stunned, not at the very clear results of the fight, but at the fact that the Sandman had spoken. Ignoring them all, Gaara had only words for the pathetic creature in his sights.

"You sicken me," he panted. "He's perfect. He's perfect and he loves me and you should die. I should kill you, but he might be sad." He stalked over to the swaying Uchiha and delivered vicious punch to his gut. Sasuke gagged and doubled over, wrapping an arm around his ribs.

"So this is about the moron, hn?" Sasuke choked out. "Does he know that you're a violent asshole?"

"He loves me," Gaara hissed as he threw a wild punch. "He. Loves. Me."

"Hn." Sasuke straightened, swallowing air in shallow gulps. "Let's do this." He arranged his limbs in a stance reminiscent of_ jiu jitsu_, making several spectators gasp. This is what they had been waiting for. How could the Sandman, with his wild, vicious, undisciplined fighting style, hold up against someone well-versed in traditional martial arts? The crowd was eager to see blood spilled or bones broken - anything that would make a delicious story to tell and retell at bars and in back room pubs for months to come.

Before Sasuke could strike, however, a restless shuffling came from the side of the ring. Flicking his gaze to the side, his eyes widened, and his arms dropped to his sides. His jaw worked, and a film of hatred covered his sight. He squeezed his hands into fists so tight that he felt blood drip from his palms.

"Itachi," he growled. "Itachi, you murdering bastard! Fight me!"

The elder Uchiha sighed, "I would, little brother," he called up to the ring, "but there is another, more pressing issue i must attend to first." He smirked, and turned to the cause of the disturbance.

"ITAAAAACHIIIII!" an annoying voice boomed throughout the arena.

"Oh, fuck me," Sasuke breathed. He glanced at the red-head in the ring with him, onyl to see that Gaara was staring at the rapidly approaching blond-haired male.

"Naruto," Gaara spoke quietly, his voice filled with awe. "Naruto."

The large male next to to Itachi cracked his knuckles. "Looks like it's time for a few of my favorite things," he chuckled**.**


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N: Another short update. We're finally in the climax, so you know that that means: not too much more to go. **_

_**Disclaimer: *checks ID* Nope, my name still isn't Masashi Kishimoto and I still don't own Naruto and I'm still not making any money off of this story.**_

* * *

Shikamaru Nara's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and irritation. He flicked his still burning cigarette from the open window of the passenger side of the truck he was currently flying toward the Akatsuki's base in. Kiba, who was driving, muttered and cursed at the uneven terrain as if it had personally insulted him. Lee was, inexplicably, racing alongside the truck on foot. Ino, thankfully, was surprisingly quiet. Sai, though..

Sai.

Shikamaru almost groaned aloud.

He was beginning to get the feeling that, as soon as he involved his friends, he had completely lost control of the situation.

"Temari's gonna kill me," he muttered into the palm he braced his face with.

"Shikamaru," Sai interrupted the one man pity parade, "you have not answered my question."

"Which question, Sai?" Shikamaru asked tiredly. "You've only asked about fifty of them."

"Are my inquires not welcome?"

"NO!" Kiba, Ino, and Shikamaru shouted in unison. Lee was unable to chime in, being that he was using his entire air supply to run at full speed. He did, however, shoot a thumbs up sign in the truck's direction.

Shikamaru suddenly perked up and scrutinized the ground. "Get ready to stop," he told Kiba. "We should see signs of Naruto's passage soon."

"Are you sure he came this way?" Kiba growled. "There isn't shit out here but dead trees and empty fields. Looks like a fuckin' desert."

"Suna is a desert, dogbrain," Ino chirped from the back seat. "Don't you know anything?"

"Hey, girlie," Kiba called, "don't make me stop this truck and come back there."

"You wish you could," Ino teased.

"Ino, are you and Kiba experiencing sexual attraction toward each other?" Sai asked innocently.

"WHAT?!" Ino screeched. Kiba momentarily lost control of the wheel and the truck veered wildly.

"I'm in Hell," Shikamaru said. He spoke into the communication unit clipped to his flak jacket. "Slow down in exactly 26 seconds," he alerted his troops. He motioned to the area ahead and told Kiba "Pull over there." Kiba did as instructed, and the group of friends stared in somber silence at the abandoned ATV that Naruto had ridden off on. The frame was slightly twisted, and one of the tires was flat. Lee, being already outside of the vehicle, was the first to approach it.

He examined the machine in tense silence. As Shikamaru and the gang disembarked and gathered, he asked, uncustomarily quietly, "What does this mean?"

"It means that we need to step carefully and move quickly. Naruto most likely ran into a trap set for uninvited guests. He either fled toward the compound on foot..or he was captured," Shikamaru explained, all traces of laziness and annoyance gone from his voice and posture.

An ANBU operative approached the group and hailed the Nara male. "Report, sir."

"Go."

"Radar and infrared sensors reveal bad news," the soldier said.

"Meaning?" the Nara prompted.

"This place is a minefield. The chance of the rogue civilian having made it through this in one piece is very slim, sir. We predict-"

"You let me do the predicting around here," Shikamaru snapped. "Change of plans, guys."

"What letter are we on now?" Kiba queried. "I hope it's K for 'kick some ass!'"

"I would like nothing better," Shikamaru smirked. "Everybody in the truck! Follow my instructions exactly and you'll live. Disobey me, and you die. It's that grim, and that simple, folks." He glared at the ANBU members. "That goes for you, too."

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers chorused.

"Let's go."

* * *

Adrenaline pumped through the body of one Naruto Uzumaki as he faced the reason for his best friend's betrayal.

"Itachi," he hissed, slowly slipping his special knife from its sheath. "Listen to me, very carefully. You will return Gaara to me. You will free Sasuke from this spell. You will fight me, and I will win."

"Foolish Naruto," Itachi laughed quietly. "You poor, confused child. You have no idea what you're dealing with here. Go back to Konoha before you get hurt."

"Hang on, moron," Sasuke called to Naruto from the cage. "I'm going to kill Itachi, and after that, I'll deal with you. How dare you march in here and try to steal my prey!" He would have said more, but a sudden loss of wind forced him to choke on his words. He clutched his sore belly and glared at his opponent.

Gaara stood resolutely in position, one leg off the ground, ready to kick the dark haired male again. "You will not touch my Naruto."

"Hey, Weasel," Kisame called out. "Does it matter who I hit first?"

"Not at all," Itachi replied. "But leave my brother and his blond friend alive. I have use for them."

"Of course you do," the large male sneered as he threw the first punch - right into Itachi's face.

Itachi dodged, feeling a gust of wind blow past his temple. He sucked in a breath. "So you knew," he commented dryly.

"Yup," Kisame responded, this time aiming for the elder Uchiha's stomach.

"Hn." Rather than dodge again, Itachi caught Kisame's fist with both of his hands, and twisted. Unprepared, Kisame grunted and staggered as his bulk shifted in a different direction from his throwing arm. He used his free hand to try and pry Itachi's vise-like grip from his dominant hand.

"Get. Off!"

"Hn."

"What the fuck is going on?" Naruto shouted over the noise.

The crowd roared in confusion. Akatsuki members fighting each other? What about the match between Chidori and Sandman? How would they collect their bets.? And who was this blond guy who had the nerve to challenge Itachi Uchiha on Akatsuki territory? Sensing something quite probably disastrous about to happen, the crowd split in two: a small number of safety minded individuals made swift moves to the exits, while a large number of blood-thirsty thrill seekers edged closer to the chaotic unfolding in front of them. A few called out wagers, but most waited breathlessly for the next move.

They did not have to wait long.

Sasuke yanked open the door to the cage and lunged for his brother, just as Kisame used his free hand to fumble for the gun he wore in a side holster. Naruto moved to stop Kisame, but was instead tackled by Sasuke. Gaara, seeing his beloved blond attacked, roared with anger, climbed the chain link cage, and vaulted over the top, aiming for Sasuke's back.

Unnoticed by all, Orochimaru and his silver-haired assistant, Kabuto, slipped away, using the mass fight as cover. The two hustlers did not get very far, however, before they heard a tsking noise from behind them.

"Sadly," said the newcomer, "I thought you were smarter than this, Snake Man."

Orochimaru hissed and spun around, facing one of the last people he wanted to see.

"Sasori Akasuna," the pale-skinned trainer said, his eyes narrowing when he saw the male's poisoned-tipped knife dangerously close to his neck. "What a surprise."

The red-headed Akatsuki member, known affectionately - or fearfully - as "Puppetmaster" chuckled dryly. "You bailed on our partnership when your deal with the Uchiha's fell through. Yet, here you are, in the presence of the young Uchiha, at his request, no less. I would applaud your underhandedness if it didn't disgust me so."

"If it weren't for Akatsuki's meddling, some of these evenets could have been prevented. But isn't it much more fun this way?" With a sneer, Orochimaru cried, "Kabuto!"

The silver-haired male darted forward, knocking aside Sasori's weapon. From the pouch on his waist, he produced a syringe full of grayish liquid and jammed it high up into Sasori's bicep. He pushed the plunger, and Sasori staggered backward, yanking the needle from his arm as he went. He fumbled the injured arm from the sleeve of his suit coat to inspect it.

Orochimaru sneered again. "Unlucky. That was a new poison my trusty assistant has developed. You will die unless I provide you with the antidote," he stated smugly.

Sasori chuckled. "Unlucky for _you_," he answered, revealing a pair of throwing knives, "that was my prosthetic arm. It's a miracle! I'll live." Kabuto and Orochimaru's smiles faded, and they turned to run.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, un," another new voice said. "Make another step, and you'll go BANG, yeah!"

* * *

Finally reaching the arena, Shikamaru observed the people fleeing the scene.

"So it's already begun," he said.

"The fuck's goin' on?" Kiba demanded. "Where's Naruto and Red?"

Shikamaru fumbled for his cigarette pack, then changed his mind. Turning to face his friends, he took a deep breath and said, "In the spirit of full disclosure and friendship, there's one little thing I forgot to tell you,"

Ino snorted. "Yeah, we're all shocked." She adjusted her medical bag, cocked her hip, and rested her balled up fist on it. "So what is it?"

The Nara male looked at each one of his friends - and Sai - and said, "My source, my contact.. It's Itachi Uchiha. He works for me. He's a spy for ANBU."


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N**: Short chapter to tide you over while I manage some stuff in my "real" life.

* * *

Kiba, of course, was the one to break the stunned silence. "You've gotta be shitting me! I mean, what the fuck, Nara?!" He ran his hand through his hair. "Did you tell him to kill his family? You sick fuck!" Kiba lunged; only the strong grip of Lee stopped him from completing the attack.

"That was before my time," Shikamaru dismissed his friend's words. "An objection this late in the game is useless. We have more important things to consider." He turned slightly, hearing the sound of another truck arriving. Boots slapped against the pavement, letting the genius know that the rest of his team was ready to deploy.

"And that shit's not important?" Kiba snarled, interrupting his thoughts. "That's half the fucking reason Naruto's in there!"

"If I may," a quiet, deep voice spoke up. A tall male wearing dark glasses and the standard ANBU uniform -dark pants tucked into boots, dark, button-down, pocketed jacket, though he had his collar turned up, as if trying to hide the lower half of his face- and dark glasses pushed his way to the front of the small crowd. He parted his lips to finish his statement, but Kiba was having none of it.

"No you fucking may not!" Kiba growled. "Who the fuck's this freak?" he asked, snapping his eyes over the other male.

"Shino Aburame," the male spoke.

"One of my best team members," Shikamaru said at the same time.

"Whatever." Kiba sneaked another, longer glance at the newcomer, Shino Aburame, then spat on the ground. "Lemma go, Lee," he said, shrugging out of his friends hold. Lee released him slowly, clearly ready to re-attach himself at the slightest hint of irrationality. Kiba turned to Shikamaru, and asked, "Are we going in or what?"

"In a moment," the Nara male answered, observing the flight patterns of the crowd. His eyes narrowed in concentration, and he pressed the tips of his fingers together. This was the signal for everyone around him to stop talking, stop moving, stop breathing, because it meant that Shikamaru was thinking; when Shikamaru was thinking, he was not to be disturbed.

Still angry, Kiba stalked away from their group, toward the arena. From the corner of his eye, he saw the ANBU guy -Shino?- fall into step beside him.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Shino adjusted his glasses, glanced at Kiba, then looked away, back toward the building. "My name is Shino Aburame. My favourite foods are wild grass salad and winter melon. My hobby is the study of insects."

Kiba halted, whirled, and faced the other man. "So? What should I care about any of that shit?"

"Why, you ask? Because if we exchange information, our likes and hobbies, we can become friends," Shino explained patiently.

"Who'd wanna be friends with you?" Kiba snarled. "And, anyway, I'm only here to save Naruto from doing something stupid, not to make friends. I have plenty of friends. Those guys," he gestured toward the small group with a wave of his arm, "are my friends. I don't need any new ones."

"But I have already told you my favorite foods and hobby. That means we are friends now," the bespectacled male stated firmly.

"What a freak," Kiba said, spinning in his heel and walking away. He felt Shino's eyes boring holes into him, and resisted the urge to squirm. He tried to refocus his mind on the mission -saving Red- and ignore the strange, fair-skinned male. He admitted -quietly, and only to himself- that the Aburame make wasn't bad to look at, and found himself wondering what his eyes looked like beneath those dark lenses. Choking, he balled his hands into fists and shoved them in his pockets. This line of thinking was completely unacceptable at a time like this.

"Kiba!" Ino's shrill yell cut off his thought process, much to his relief.

"What?" he yelled back.

"Shikamaru's ready. We're going in."

* * *

The gunshot that rang out inside of the arena was followed by stunned silence, which was followed, in turn, by screams, shouts, and pleas to be allowed to live. Naruto shoved his ex-best friend/first crush off of his lap and screamed, "You fucking idiot! Get off me! Where's Kisame? Itachi? ITACHI!"

Sasuke tried to stand and check the damage, but was immediately felled by a punch to the side of his head.

"You hurt my Naruto. Uchiha, you must pay," Gaara stated deceptively calmy. A trickle of blood seeped from his nose. He swiped at it, faintly annoyed. "Naruto," he intoned, looking to his lover. "You came for me."

"Of course I did!" Naruto yelled over the noise. "Where's Kisame? And Itachi?"

"I am here, Naruto," Itachi's smooth -though strained- voice informed him. The blond turned to see Itachi holding his shoulder. His features were twisted in pain, and blood ran down the hand that was pressed to his arm. Behind him, Kisame was standing slowly, groping for the weapon he no longer had.

"Shit!" Naruto spat, and rushed the large man. They clashed; Naruto, who was already on his feet, managed to win the upper hand as they grappled. He forced the larger male back to the floor, and and drove his knee into the smirking mouth. Kisame grunted. He reached up, locked his arms around Naruto's hips, and squeezed. Naruto yelped; panic shot through his mind, and he fought to free himself from the vise-like grip.

Sasuke rose from the floor, shrieked, and rushed his older brother. Already wounded, Itachi could only dodge the blows. "I hate you!" he shouted. "You killed Mom. How could you kill Mom? You murderer!" He snapped out a fist, but connected with only air. Strong fingers wound themselves into his arm and yanked, dragging him backward. "The fuck?!" He twisted around, trying to see who had managed to lock down his movements. His head was forced to the side, and a sneering, bleeding Gaara loomed large in his vision.

"You hurt my Naruto," the redhead snarled.

"Oh, shit," Sasuke cursed weakly. He raised his arms to protect his face and chest, but the blows never came. He was knocked to the side by a long-haired black blur.

"I will thank you to keep your hands off of my little brother, Sandman," he heard Itachi say. "And you, foolish little brother," Itachi switched targets and continued, "have no idea what you have done by allying yourself with Orochimaru and coming here."

"How-how do you know about Orochimaru?" To Sasuke's shame, his voice cracked when those impossibly dark eyes of his brother landed on him.

"Foolish little brother..I know everything."

"Someone must pay," Gaara growled. The sound started in his chest, and rumbled up through his throat before spilling from his mouth. His slight frame was shaking. One hand was buried in his bright red locks; the other was pressed into his belly, as if trying to calm a beast. "Someone..must..die."

"GAARA!" Naruto screamed. He broke free from Kisame's hold, kicked the male several times in quick succession, then ran to his boyfriend's side. "Gaara, Gaara, Gaara, calm down. Calm down! I'm here. I'm here, okay? I've got you." He wrapped his arms around the shaking male, hoping to give him comfort.

"Are you shitting me?" Sasuke asked as he got to his feet. His gaze danced between Naruto and his cage opponent. "How the hell did this happen? When did this happen?"

"Things have changed, Sasuke, in Konoha," Itachi informed. "But there will be time for this later. We must go. Unless I miss my guess, Deidara has this place wired and ready to blow."

"Who the hell's Deidara? and why should I believe anything you say?" Sasuke questioned his sibling.

"Deidara?!" Naruto screeched, his head spinning toward Itachi. "He's still alive? He's alive. See, Gaara? You didn't kill him. It's okay." He pressed a kiss to the trembling male's forehead, right on his kanji tattoo. "It's okay. But we've got to go."

"As if you're going anywhere," Kisame's rumbling voice cut in. The big male was on his feet, and in his hands was a very large, very dangerous-looking gun. He pointed it in the direction of the Uchiha pair first; Itachi pushed Sasuke behind him. Kisame then swung the gun to Naruto, who only held Gaara tighter while staring defiantly at him. "Isn't this sweet?" Kisame joked. "So much love."

Naruto kept one arm around Gaara's shoulders; his freed hand was creeping to the knife he'd jammed back in its sheath on his leg. "You don't want to do this," he said to Kisame, angling his body so the big man wouldn't notice his movements.

"Of course I do!" the large man boomed. "And I'll enjoy every moment of it. Now, let's see.. which of you should I start with?"

"Shoot the idiot first," Sasuke offered. "He's loud."

"Sasuke, you bastard!" Naruto yelled, hurt. "How can you say that?"

"Because it's true. you haven't changed at all, moron."

"Sasuke!"

"Do not speak to him he's mine!" Gaara hissed, his voice sounding as if it was coming from somewhere far away. His body vibrated under Naruto's touch.

Naruto worked the knife free and, keeping it to close to his leg, took three small steps to the left, dragging Gaara with him, increasing the distance between them and the Uchiha men. He flicked at glance at Itachi, who gave him an almost imperceptible nod; the elder Uchiha had seen Naruto's plan at a glance, and was telling him that he was on board with it.

"Sasuke," Itachi said to his brother, "you should be nicer to your friends."

"He's no friend of mine," Sasuke denied hotly. "Just some idiot that attached himself to me. I don't need friends. I need revenge." He punched his brother in the back, making him stumble. "You killed Mom and Dad!" He lashed out again, and Itachi planted his feet firmly to absorb the blow. "Why?!" A strangled sob worked its way out of Sasuke's throat. "Why'd you kill Mom and Dad?!"

"There is so much you don't know," Itachi said through teeth that were clenched against the pain, but physical and emotional. "I'm sorry, Sasuke."

"Fuck you!" Sasuke roared. He lifted his leg as she spun, and landed a heavy blow to his older brother's wounded shoulder. Itachi was pushed several feet to the side, where he landed in a heap. He swore, tried to stand, and failed.

Kisame laughed, his gun wavering. "Oh, this is too much," he chuckled, swiping at his eyes. Naruto seized the large male's inattention, and lunged, his knife glinting in the dim light. Kisame gasped as cold steel bit into his thickly muscled arm. He lost his grip on the big gun; it clattered to the floor and slid away. "Fuck!" He grabbed for the blond, managing to catch his ear in a slap. Stunned, Naruto skittered backward. He readjusted his grip on the knife, took a deep breath, and released the ball of tension he'd been holding in his gut.

He bounced a little on the balls of his feet, letting his training wash over him. He flipped the hilt of his blade around in his hand. Naruto allowed his eyes to slip closed; he needed to read the flow of the air around him. He slowed his breathing and heartbeat, and waited. Waited. Waited.

"Hngh!" he lunged, thrusting the knife up and to the left. Kisame gurgled and flailed; Naruto removed the knife from his chest, and the large male collapsed, face first, onto the floor.

"You fucking killed him!" Sasuke said, awe creeping into his voice.

Gaara began to giggle uncontrollably. "Its so red. So much beautiful red."

Naruto wiped the blooded blade on his leg and said, simply, "They're coming."

Red clouds on black material hovered nearby, watching, waiting for the signal from their leader to strike. From the other side of the nearly arena, came a lazy drawl. "ANBU! Put your hands up, or whatever," Shikamaru said.


	36. Chapter 36

**_Just a short update to let you know that I'm not dead or anything. Unless I am, and my ghost is typing this... In any case, I don't think I'm dead, just incredibly busy, but the boys started talking to me again so here you go. _**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, and I am not making money from this story._**

* * *

_6 months later_

Shikamaru Nara scanned the empty street in front of the courthouse again and sighed. He patted his pocket for his trusty pack of cigarettes, then groaned when he remembered they weren't there anymore. His wife, Temari, had threatened to castrate him if he came home smelling like smoke just one more time. Being attached to his manly bits as he was, the Nara male quickly gave up smoking. At times like this, though, he wished he had just one stick hidden away somewhere. Today was the final verdict of the final trial of what the media had dubbed "The Sandstorm." It had been a long six months, and so much had happened in that time.

Shikamaru remembered storming into the Akstsuki's fighting arena and yelling...saying...mumbling, "Put your hands up or whatever," and hearing the shocked silence that followed. Of course, that eerie stillness only lasted for the briefest of moments before chaos, once again, reigned supreme. Before he could finish blinking, he'd seen: two bodies on the floor, one breathing, one not; a fist fight between Gaara and Sasuke, with Naruto getting hit by them both trying to break it up; the trainer and trafficker Orochimaru fleeing while his silver-haired companion sank to his knees, bleeding from a stomach wound; Kiba snarling and running into a brawling crowd; Lee leaping through the air to kick a suspiciously masked man who was wearing a red cloud spotted cloak; Ino creeping through flying bodies to deliver first aid (and a few punches) to people in need; Sai, sitting off to the side, scribbling notes like mad.

The Nara male huffed. "Troublesome," he muttered, wishing that he had some sort of secret super power that could freeze people in their tracks and make them do what he wanted them to, which was, namely, be still. He raised a hand in the air, and motioned to his team. Shino echoed his message, then passed it along to anyone who may not have seen it flash. Weapons were pulled out, checked, and positioned. Shikamaru motioned again, and his team moved in, quickly subduing civilians and dispatching any Akatsuki member that tried to flee. From the corner of his eye, he spotted one of the organizers, Shukaku, according to his intel, attempting to sneak away, dragging a large duffel bag and a young woman behind him. Shikamaru made a move to intercept him, but a certain redhead beat him to the punch.

Gaara's head shot up, his nostrils flaring. Turning, his gaze roamed across the melee going on around him. With a dangerous chuckle bubbling up in his throat, he threw Sasuke onto the floor and ran, shoving bodies out of his way. Shikamaru watched from across the rapidly emptying arena how Gaara planted fists in Shukaku's face and gut. The older man coughed and doubled over, but Gaara wasn't nearly finished. He grabbed the man by his hair, yanking his head up, and slamming a knee into his nose. The girl's moved and her hands gestured wildly. Gaara pushed her away, none too gently, and continued his assault on the other male.

Meanwhile, Sasuke struggled against the hold the Naruto had him locked in. While Shikamaru watched, eyes narrowed as he took in the unmoving forms of Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha, Naruto delivered a tooth-rattling right hook to Sasuke's jaw. Mentally, the Nara male cheered, but made sure to keep his his features schooled into passive boredom. Naruto shook his former friend -and first love- and threw him to the floor, where the Uchiha male landed, winded, right next to his long lost older brother. Fists clenching and unclenching, the blond stalked briskly toward his boyfriend. Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his temples. There was a whole lot of explaining to a whole lot of people in his very near future, he just knew it. In the end, the remaining Akatsuki members were rounded up and shipped to an ANBU detention facility. Kabuto, Itachi, and Shukaku were sent, under heavy guard, to an ANBU-affiliated medical facility. Gaara and Sasuke were taken for questioning. The civilians were released after giving statements and contact information. and Naruto…

Shikamaru was forced to orchestrate the arrest of his friend.

"What?" Naruto exclaimed as his hand were cuffed behind his back. "You're arresting me?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I have to do this by the book. I'm in enough trouble as it is for bringing you all along with me. But you-" The Nara male sighed. "You killed a man."

"Self-defense," the blond muttered darkly.

"Maybe so," Shikamaru admitted. "But it still has to go on record and be investigated."

"What about Gaara? And...and Sasuke?"

Shikamaru regarded his friend contemplatively. "They'll be fine," he assured the other man. "They just need to answer some questions, get checked out, and then they'll be free to go." At Naruto's questioning look, Shikamaru forced himself to smile. "Everything is going to be fine. I do, however, have some things to tell you, but not right now. For now, let's just get out of here. I can't leave yet, but Shino will escort you back to HQ. And the guys are all okay. None of them were seriously injured."

Naruto's lip trembled. "Gaara needs me."

"He'll be looked after."

"Can I least see him before you take me...wherever?"

Shikamaru sighed. "I'll try to arrange a phone call once you land, okay? That's the best I can offer you right now."

"Thanks, Shikamaru." Naruto allowed Shino to lead him away.

Shikamaru grunted and patted his vest for his pack of cigarettes. "Don't thank me yet, Uzumaki. This still has the potential to end up very, very bad." True to form, the Nara male's prediction was spot on. Naruto spoke to Gaara via video phone from his cell, and the session ended badly. The report Shikamaru received stated that there was growling, snarling, cursing, begging, and finally, weeping, mostly from Naruto's end. The two males had not spoken again.

Which was why, on this sunny spring day, Shikamaru was standing outside of the courthouse, scanning the streets for a shock of red hair. Naruto was expected to receive the verdict in his case, and Gaara had been invited to attend. Temari had passed along the message to her younger brother; she and everyone else only knew that Gaara was "traveling" but regularly checked his email. He refused to communicate with anyone beyond the general inquires to his health. The fact that he was communicating at all, Shikamaru chalked up to the red-haired man's time with their favorite blond.

"Shikamaru," a quiet voice broke into his thoughts. "They're ready."

Bleary eyed, he turned to Shino and gave a sharp nod. "Right. Let's get this over with."


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:** Hey, look! A chapter! Where'd that come from? *looks around suspiciously

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own the _Naruto_ franchise, nor am I making any money from this story.. but it would be nice, just once.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki stared at his trembling hands instead of at the imposing, empty jury box. His lawyer, Neji Hyuuga, one of Shikamaru's best people, snapped at him not to fidget.

"I am confident in my abilities, Mr. Uzumaki, as is Shikamaru Nara; otherwise, he would not have assigned me to your case. I know what I am doing, and I wish you would at least pretend to believe me when I say that everything will be fine. It is not your fate to be locked up like a common criminal."

"But I am a common criminal," Naruto muttered as he hung his head. "I did kill that guy."

"Who had a gun, had already shot one person with said gun, was threatening the life of you, your lover, and the lives at least two other people," Neji ticked off on his fingers. "Not to mention that Mr. Hoshigaki was a member of an organized crime unit. Now sit still!"

Naruto perked up when Neji mentioned "lover." "Have you guys found Gaara?"

Neji paused, then sighed. "Shikamaru is trying his best."

Naruto deflated. "Oh," he said, his voice becoming lifeless. He slumped, head so low it almost banged on the table in front of him. He missed Gaara, and worried about what his absence meant. The redhead had not appeared in front of him since their single, disastrous phone call. Naruto had no idea where he was, if he was sleeping, if he was in trouble, and it tore at him. He felt like a chunk or his heart was missing. That, combined with the guilt of stabbing Kisame had led to many sleepless nights of his own. His lively blue eyes had dulled, and his smiles were few.

Neji sat back in his chair, twirling a pen around in his fingers. "I do not think, in these months we have spent together, that you ever told me what you and Gaara fought about during that phone call."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his lawyer and sort of friend. "Because it's none of your business."

"Naruto…"

"Sasuke," Naruto admitted with a sigh. "We fought about the Uchihas. And the possibility of my going to...away. Gaara thought…" His voice cracked. "He thought that my life would be better if he wasn't around, that my meeting him, getting involved with him, was causing problems in my life. That this whole thing," he spat, swinging an arm around the rapidly filling courtroom, "is somehow his fault."

"But that is the truth, is it not?"

"No!" Naruto yelled, slapping his hands on the table. He winced at the sound and the sting off his palms making contact with the polished wood. "No, it's not." Calmer, he explained, "I probably still would have went after Sasuke, if I'd known the first thing about how to find him. He was my- you know what? Forget it. Let's just get through this. You said you could keep me out of jail. Let's see how good you are."

Conversation ground to a halt as the uniformed bailiff strode out of a hidden door behind the judge's desk. "All raise!" he snapped, and the people present in the court struggled to their feet. "Court is now in session. People versus Uzumaki, The Honorable Tsunade Senju is presiding."

The judge, a young-looking, blond-haired woman stepped up to his desk, picked up the wooden gavel, and banged in down with such force that a loud_ crack!_ echoed through the silent room. "Sit down," she growled as she flopped into the soft, leather, high-backed chair behind her desk. With a heavy sigh, she picked up the file folder in front of her, flipped it opened, then slammed it shut. "Whatever," she muttered. She glanced to her left, at the bailiff. "Is the jury back?"

"Yes, Your Honor, they have reached a verdict."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Send them in!"

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha sat in the very back of the courtroom, hat pulled low over his eyes. He didn't need to be recognized by anyone, least of the reporters that were taking bets on how long "Kyuubi's kid" would get locked up for. The Uchiha male sneered in their direction, then proceeded to ignore them. He looked around, taking note of people he once knew that had come to support the idiot Uzumaki. An eyebrow rose, and his eyes narrowed, when he noticed a distinct lack of red hair on any of the packed benches. He tapped his foot and looked at his watch. Surely...

His attention was drawn to the rude judge when she ordered the jury to be brought in. A strange, tight feeling stuttered in his chest, and he scoffed. "What is this?" he muttered. "Gas?" He watched the people chosen to decide Naruto's fate as they trooped in, carefully, seeking a sign of their decision, then chastised himself for bothering to care. Naruto meant nothing to him.

_"Then why are you going to watch his trial, foolish little brother?"_ Itachi had asked from his isolation cell at ANBU headquarters.

Sasuke did not have an answer then, nor did he have one now.

He did, however, better understand why his brother had done the things he had done. Itachi, once out of surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder, had spilled the whole sordid tale.

_"Father was planning a coup," he told his younger brother. "He wanted to control Konoha, and Fire Country beyond it. Mother, while not agreeing with his plans, did nothing to stop him. It was her idea, actually to send you away, just in case. The problem was, the place she wanted to send you...I could not allow that."_

_"Why, Itachi? Why'd you kill them?"_

_"They were making deals, Sasuke. Highly illegal, back room deals. One that included you being fostered by Orochimaru and trained as fighter. But because of my blunder -killing both of our parents- you ran to his arms on your own." Here Itachi sighed. "I am a spy, little brother, and have been since I was in high school. I work for ANBU. I was tasked with removing the threat to our government."_

_"And that makes it better?" Sasuke screamed. "That made it okay to kill mom and dad?"_

_"Mother was not supposed to die," Itachi said, his voice strained. "But she saw me dispatch Father, and screamed at me, calling me a traitor to the Uchiha name. Our great uncle Madara began this madness, this campaign against Konoha's leaders. Several of our relatives were swept up in it." His words were slurred, a sign that the drugs were working, and that he needed to rest._

_"Did you kill them all, Itachi? Is that why we're the last ones?" Sasuke asked in a whisper, afraid of the answer._

_But Itachi, worn out from his ordeal, had fallen asleep, never hearing Sasuke's question, never getting the chance to answer._

Sasuke snapped back to the present, leaning forward in his seat, as the jury's forewoman stood and handed a neatly folded square to the bailiff, who handed it to Judge Senju, who unfolded it, snorted, and shoved it back at the uniformed guard.

"Well, let's have it," she snapped, looking at her watch.

"Yes, Your Honor," the forewoman said. She accepted her paper, and sneered at it, before remembering where she was and schooling her features. "We, the jury, on the charge of the murder of Kisame Hoshigaki, find the defendant, Naruto Uzumaki…," she sighed, then continued. "Not guilty," she finished in a mumble.

The court erupted with noise. Sasuke, forgetting himself, smirked in relief. Reporters rushed from the courtroom to call their editors and file their stories. A few disbelieving shouts of "WHAT?!" and "No way!" ricocheted around the room. Judge Senju, annoyed, banged her gavel. It shattered, and she threw the offending pieces into the crowd, narrowly missing putting someone's eye out.

"SHUT UP!" she roared. The court quieted. "You, brat," she said, pointing at Naruto, "may be free, but you will be watched. Shikamaru Nara has agreed to take full responsibility for you. You follow his orders, and trust me, I will know if you get out of line. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Naruto said meekly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Now get out of my sight!"

No one had to be told twice, Sasuke included. Unnoticed, he slipped out of the courtroom mixed into the crowd, and fingered the cell phone he'd smuggled through the metal detectors. A favor was a favor, after all, especially when it was owed. He just hoped that his message was received in time. He stepped onto a waiting elevator just as the doors were closed, taking him away in its belly.

The court cleared quickly. Naruto grinned sheepishly at Neji. "I guess I owe you an apology. Or maybe I should pay you? How much was-"

"If you have to ask," Neji stated with a smirk, "you can't afford it."

"Right, Heh." He turned to leave, spirits rising when he saw Shikamaru coming toward him. "Hey, Shika! Did you...I mean- Any, um…"

We'll talk in the car," Shikamaru said. "Shino is bringing it around. We're taking you out through the tunnel. Some people aren't happy with your verdict." They exited the courtroom, not by conventional means, through the front door, but through the door behind the judge's desk that lead to her chambers and the secret tunnel.

"Because I killed a guy," Naruto murmured.

"Because 'Kyuubi's kid' killed a guy and is getting away with it," Shikamaru fired back. "Look, I know this is hard for you. I know it sucks to be treated like this. Just a little longer, Naruto. Bear with me, please?"

"I trust you...Boss," Naruto said, trying out the term. "I'm really going to be working for you at ANBU?"

"It's part of the deal I made with Judge Senju if the jury returned a 'not guilty' verdict. Of course, people still won't be happy with it, us accepting a 'monster' on our roster," he huffed as he descended the stairs at a light jog. "But some people will never be happy."

"Isn't that always the way," Neji muttered, lost in thought, as he fumbled with his phone.

The three-man group pushed through a heavy metal door, nodded to the guard stationed there, and entered the parking garage. A large black SUV sat idling. Shikamaru opened the back door, motioning for Naruto and Neji to slid in. He then opened the passenger door for himself. Dropping into the heated leather seat, he patted his pockets, and cursed as he remembered, again, that he no longer smoked.

He waited until they were speeding away from the courthouse before addressing his friend.

"Just before your verdict was delivered," Shikamaru said, "I got a text."

"Oh?" Naruto asked, his heart thumping in his chest.

"We've found Gaara. I'm taking you to him now."


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** So.. yeah.. Life.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Naruto_. I am not making a profit from this work. Ideas, plot (such as there is), and typos are all mine.

* * *

It was dark and warm-comforting-the place where Gaara was, and yet, he was disturbed. There were no signs of life that he could detect, no external noise, no smells. He heard only the sounds of his ragged breathing, and the rapid patter of his own heartbeat. He was sure that his eyes were open, yet all he saw was darkness. He tried to turn his head, to sit up, but found that he could not move. A trickle of ice seeped into his veins, and his breathing slowed. Alert, he listened. He wanted, needed, a sign, a distraction from the picture that was forming in his head.

He worked his mouth, his dry tongue darting out to lick even drier lips. "Hello?" His voice cracked, and he coughed, suddenly aware that he was thirsty. "Hello?" he called again, but only the silence answered.

Gaara frowned, struggling to remember how he might have ended up...wherever he currently was. Flashes of a strange, bespectacled, disturbingly red-haired woman came to mind. Strangely, she reminded him of Naruto. Eyes widening in the dark, the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

"Naruto," he rasped. He began to struggle in earnest to lift an arm, a leg, to sit up, anything. Twisting his wrists as far as they would go, he used his fingertips to feel around. What he felt shocked him, but made a chilling amount of sense.

Straps. He was strapped down, most likely to a bed or table. He had no idea how long he'd been there; the last time he'd managed to check his email, there'd been a message from Temari, telling him about Naruto's sentencing and begging him to come back. He'd ignored it, tough he could not stop the twinge of pain and regret that tightened his chest as he'd recalled his angry parting words to the other male. The things he'd accused his lover of!

The clicking of a lock had him tensing, waiting for the attack that was sure to come. A thin sliver of light appeared to his right, and in the glare, he could see the shape of a person.

"Water," he requested harshly.

A snort. Then, "I told you he was waking up. Suigetsu! Bring water for our guest."

From far off, he heard a male voice respond, "Get it yourself, you skeezy-"

"My darling Sasuke left me in charge, and I'm telling you to bring water NOW!" The figure moved, and it became clear that it was the red-haired woman he'd seen in his memory. She stepped close to Gaara, her hand lifting. Gaara tensed and shrank away from her, going as far as his restraints would let him. She smirked. "I won't hurt you...Gaara, was it? My darling Sasuke ordered me to help you. I'm so pleased that he needs me!"

Blankly, Gaara stared at her. He swore that there were hearts where her eyes should be. His brain caught up to her words a moment later, and he narrowed his eyes. "Sasuke. Uchiha." He growled, low in his throat, and the woman stepped back, suddenly uncertain.

"Hey!" she snapped. "Sasuke is helping you. Why, I don't know. Something about a debt to an idiot…" She made a movement, and low light flickered on in the room, allowing Gaara to see his prison.

He was indeed in a bed. A hospital-style bed, with bars and white sheets. The walls were soft beige, and thick, dark drapes were drawn tightly over what Gaara assumed were windows. A monitor beeped slowly from somewhere behind his head. Before he could inquire about his whereabouts, however, a slender male with spiky silver hair and strangely sharp teeth came barreling into the room, grinning wickedly and carrying a plastic cup filled to the brim with clear liquid.

He stared down at Gaara with a sneer, then addressed the woman with a snort. "So you're not entirely unuseful, Karin. He really is awake. Good. We can clear out and leave him here. Those ANBU assholes are on their way."

The woman, Karin, pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "I won't leave until my darling-"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" the male, Suigetsu, Gaara assumed, smirked. "Sasuke sent a couple of texts. He said, 'Where are you morons with Gaara?' and then said, 'The idiot is safe. Sending him there.'" He peered down at Gaara again. "You're somebody special, I guess."

Karin screeched, "My darling called, and you didn't tell me?!" She balled up a fist and shook it dangerously close to Suigetsu's face.

"Texted, you crazy bitch. He texted!" Water sloshed out of the cup, and Gaara swallowed roughly. His mind, though sluggish, was processing the things he'd heard. As he thought, he felt the straps fall away from his person, and blinked. Karin has unfastened his restraints, and was now helping him sit up so he could drink.

The water was delicious nectar, cold and sweet. He drank deeply, and gagged. He sputtered, and Karin whacked him on the back. "You have to slow down. You're slightly dehydrated, and your heart rate only just stabilized. You've lost a lot of blood, but you should be pretty safe now."

Gasping, Gaara asked, "Wha...what are you talking about?"

Karin cocked her head. "You don't remember? When that Naruto dude's trial started, Sasuke had us track you down. You were out of your mind, fighting anyone you could. You stumbled into a really dangerous bar and demanded the strongest person fight you. He tried to kill you! Luckily, we happened to be there."

"I lost?"

"No," Suigetsu filled in. "You won. We think you might have killed him; we didn't stick around to find out. We grabbed you and got out of there." A mouthful of sharp teeth filled Gaara's vision. "Did you know you cry in your sleep?"

"I-I slept?" Shaking his head, Gaara asked the questions burning his tongue. "Where are we? Where's Naruto?" He tangled a trembling hand in his hair, waiting for the hammering pain of his father's ghost, but nothing came. He frowned again, this time in wonder. "Where is he?"

A new voice spoke up. "Naruto is on his way here. We're about 50 miles outside of Konoha proper. He should be here within the hour." The newcomer, despite his large size, looked meek and peaceful. He extended a bundle to Gaara. "Clothes," he explained. "If you can stand, there's a bathroom through that door, and I'll leave some food in the kitchen. Karin, Suigetsu, we need to move."

"Juugo! I'm the one in charge. My darling-"

"Told us to move. He doesn't want ANBU to get a hold of us. They're only letting him walk around free because his brother made some sort of deal with them." Juugo moved to leave the room, then turned back. "I hope things turn out okay for you."

"So do I," Gaara murmured as the strange people left the room.

* * *

Naruto fidgeted in the back of the truck as the miles flew by. He was tempted to ask, "Are we there yet?" but Shikamaru has made it clear that if he uttered those words again, he could get out and walk. Shino, who was driving, was eerily silent, and even Kiba, who they'd picked up along the way, was strangely subdued. Aside from a fierce, crushing hug when he'd first gotte in the car, Kiba had not said a word, which Naruto found really, really weird.

The ride was longer than he'd expected, so Naruto had plenty of time to think.

_"Gaara, I love you. I want you here," he'd said._

_"Even though you have your Uchiha back?" the redhead had challenged._

_Naruto sputtered. "What? I mean, sure, I'd like he and I to restore our friendship, but-"_

_"Isn't that how all of this started in the first place? He hurt you! He doesn't deserve to breathe."_

_"Gaara!" Naruto admonished. "That's crazy!"_

_Gaara's eyes had narrowed as he stared into the camera. "So now I"m crazy?"_

_"WHAT? No! Gaara!"_

_"You obviously don't need me anymore. Have a good trial."_

_"GAARA!" The screen went blank, then the ominous words "disconnected" flashed across the monitor. An ANBU agent, who was stationed just outside, walked in to unhook the setup, but quickly ducked out again when Naruto picked up his chair and threw it at the wall._

Shaking off the memory, he tried to engage his friend in conversation. "So, Kiba, how's training?" Once the smoke had cleared, Kiba, Lee, and Sai had all applied for ANBU training. Naruto was itching to get started, as well, but first he needed reassurance that Gaara was alright.

"It's cool." Kiba's usually loud voice was low and mellow.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "'It's cool'? That's it? Dude, what's wrong with you?"

"Why do you think there's somethin' wrong with me?"

"You're quiet! You're only quiet when you're sick or somebody died. Oh my gods, is it Akamaru? Is your dog okay? Your mom? Hana?"

"They're fine, Naruto." Kiba sighed. "Everybody's fine."

Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Kiba. "It's worse than I thought, isn't it? You sighed! You never sigh!"

"Gods, you're loud," Kiba muttered, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

Horrified at this display of unKibalike behavior, Naruto whipped his head toward the front seat. "SHIKA! What have you done to Kiba?"

Shino answered. "Kiba is being well taken care of in his training. Why? Because he is in my unit, and we are friends."

Naruto sat back in a huff. "Fine. Tell me nothing, you bastards." He directed his gaze out of the window. "Are we there yet?"


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:** No excuses. Just life. There may be 1 or 2 more chapters after this to wrap things up, but the main story is done. It's been a long journey for me. thanks for sticking around to read my first fanfiction. Excuse any typos, as I am having a few vision issues at the moment.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the _Naruto_ franchise, and I am not making any money from this story.

* * *

Kiba was ill. He had to be. His brow furrowed when he thought of his symptoms. His chest hurt. He got lost in thought and checked out of reality for minutes, and sometimes hours, at a time. He was eager to get up in the morning and make his way to the training quarters of ANBU headquarters. He had come to value calm, quiet activities.

Maybe he was dying.

"KIBA! You're doing it again!" Naruto's overly enthusiastic voice thrashed his introspection.

And his best friend in the whole world, next to Akamaru, was annoyingly loud and cheerful. It was troublesome. Kiba gasped. Maybe he'd been infected by Shikamaru's brand of slacker disease? But, no; that wouldn't explain the eagerness to get to headquarters and meet up with Shin─with his unit for training. He frowned. He'd had a feeling for a while now. Not a bad feeling, just a different feeling, but he had no idea where it came or what it meant. The lines in his forehead deepened as he frowned harder, and sighed.

"KIBA! Shino, Shika, what'd you guys do to Kiba?!" The blond jabbed an accusing finger at the front seat. "You broke him!"

"I'm fine, Naruto," Kiba assured his friend. "Really. Just...thinkin' 'bout some shit, is all."

Naruto threw his arm across his face and wept, bitterly and dramatically. "Kiba's broken!" he wailed.

Another sign, this time from Neji, who was trapped in the very back of the SUV in the third row seat, filled the air. "What do we know about Gaara's whereabouts? How was he located?"

"Sasuke found him," Shikamaru drawled, "or, rather, Sasuke's people found him. He put word out as a favor to ANBU."

"Sounds like Uchiha finally pulled the icicle out of his ass," Kiba muttered, half-listening to the conversation floating around him.

"Leave Sasuke alone, alright? He didn't have to do this, but I'm glad he did." Naruto sat back in his seat, crossed his arms over his chest, and frowned. "I wonder why he did this. I thought he hated me."

"People often change when they're away from each other. Why? Because absence makes the heart grow fonder, so the saying goes," Shino interjected helpfully. Kiba, upon hearing his unit leaders voice, twitched unconformably. His movement did not go unnoticed.

Kiba turned his head to see curious blue eyes appraising him. "Say, Kiba...when's the last time you got laid?"

Kiba twitched. "The fuck kinda question is that?" he bellowed.

"I'm just sayin-"

"-even ask me that? What is wron-"

"-just seem frustrated, is all-"

"-s'posed to be a friend and you just-"

"-staring at Shino and sighing."

Kiba froze. "What?" he asked, sputtering.

"What what?" Naruto blinked, and opened his eyes wide, giving himself an expression of innocence.

Neji thumped his head against the window. "Are you there yet?"

Shikamaru swallowed a chuckle, then gave his subordinate a curious glance from the corner of his eye to see his reaction. Shino, eyes hidden beneath dark shades, stared straight ahead at the expanse of road ahead of them. He gave no outward sign that he'd heard, or even cared about, the friendly argument in the rear seats. At least, no sign that most people would have picked up on, but the Nara male was not most people. Shino's hands tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering, and he inhaled a tad bit too sharply through his nose. Lacing his fingers together, Shikamaru filed the interesting information away, and spoke to the entire group in a bored voice.

"We're about five miles out. Gaara, according to the information provided, is being held at a small, recently abandoned clinic. He should be alone. Kiba and Shino will do a perimeter check, and secure the building. Naruto will go in alone. I will remain here with Neji, monitoring communications and relating relevant information back to headquarters. You are an important asset to ANBU, Naruto, and you just missed a life in prison. Don't fuck this up."

Naruto grunted in agreement, then thrust a thumbs up sign over the seat and into Shikamaru's face. "I have everything under control. Believe it!"

Quicker than Kiba thought possible, the ride was over and their destination was up ahead. Shino parked the car in the back of the building, out of sight of anyone who happened to pass by during their operation. Swallowing dryly, Kiba exited the vehicle, careful not to slam the door. He checked his belt for the tools of his office: flashlight, zip ties, pepper spray, folding knife, stun rod, and satellite phone. Satisfied that he was prepared, he took a deep breath and looked round for his unit leader.

"I will go left and you go right. Why? Because it makes more sense for us to take opposite paths and meet in the middle," Shino's baritone voice thundered in his ear.

Kiba jumped several feet into the air. "Shit fuckin' damn!" he hissed, louder than he intended. "Don't do that!"

"Is something the matter?"

"Not at all. Nope. Just fine. Lead on, leader." Kiba saluted sloppily, then rushed over to his side of building, unclipping the stun gun from his belt.

Naruto smirked as he watched his friend scurry away, then killed his mirth. He gazed up the building before him. Gaara was in there, and it was time to bring him home.

* * *

Left alone, Gaara stood slowly, shaking out his limbs and ignoring his nakedness. He was light-headed, a little dizzy, and his mouth was fuzzy; the small amount of water the woman had given him was not enough to completely rehydrate him. He glanced to his left, to the bundle of clothing the large male, Juugo, had given to him. He poked it with a shaking finger, and blinked. Hospital scrubs, burgundy in color; garish, yellow, hospital slipper socks; and a pair of cheap, white, slide sandals. There was also a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste kit, a tiny bar of soap in a box, and a polka-dot washcloth. He let his gaze travel to the doorway, beyond which, he had been told, was a bathroom and a kitchen. Scooping up the pile, Gaara lurched unsteadily to the bathroom.

Inside of the bathroom, there was no shower, but the sunken sink was large and deep. A toilet stood in one corner, braced on either side by metal rails. Gaara placed his bundle on a corner of the counter, and peered into the polished stainless steel that acted as a mirror. The afternoon sunlight streamed into the room from tiny windows near the ceiling, giving him enough light to see the dark rings around his eyes, and the fading bruises that lined his jaw and dotted the bridge of his nose. He expected a flash of anger at being injured, but, surprisingly, he felt empty. There was no fear, no rage, no annoying voice telling him that he was unloved. Blinking slowly, Gaara twisted the knobs on the sink; water splattered into the metal basin and quickly began to steam.

He dumped in the soap and the washcloth, and cupped his hands underneath the rapidly falling stream. Filling his hands with hot water, he splashed it over himself, uncaring about the mess he was making on the floor. He dunked his head in the water and choked; he had failed to hold his breath. He flung water from his eyes and sputtered as he righted himself, fished out the bar of unscented cleansing agent and the washcloth. Rubbing them together, he worked up a good lather, and spread it all over his pale skin. Mechanically, he washed himself, clearing away the sweat and remaining traces of blood. When he felt clean enough, he shut off the water, squeezed the excess droplets from his hair, and sighed. He had just opened up the little toothbrush when he remembered an important fact.

_Naruto was coming._

He fumbled and almost dropped the toothbrush. As he spread cheap, white paste on the plastic bristles, Gaara wonder if he could face the blond, if he could be forgiven for running off, if he should even bother to try. His mental clock ticked away seconds, then minutes, as he slid his eyes closed and pondered his options. As he saw it, there were only two: face the blond, or run. He brushed his teeth slowly, forcing himself to think.

_Naruto. Naruto loves me. I hurt him._

Clenching his slender fingers around the short brush, he started when he felt rather than heard the plastic stem snap under the pressure. Hissing softly, he spat the entire mess into the sink. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and reached for the borrowed clothing. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Naruto stood trembling before the unlocked entrance to the clinic. Kiba and Shino had done their checked, and assured him that there was only one person inside of the building, and it was assumed to be one Gaara Sabaku. A recent oil stain, Shino reported, just a few feet away from the door said that a vehicle had been there, but someone had driven it off, possibly moments before they'd arrived. Naruto barely listened to the long-winded explanations and conjecture. He had only one purpose, to bring his lover home. He inhaled and exhaled noisily, then yanked the door open. He made plenty of noise in order to alert the person inside of his presence.

"Gaara!" he called. His heart thundered in his chest. What is it was a false alarm? What if it wasn't Gaara, but a random homeless person seeking shelter? What if it was an escaped member of Akatsuki, lying in wait to ambush him, to get revenge for Kisame's death? These thoughts swirled through his mind, trampling his high hopes. "Gaara?" he tried again. "It's me. Are you here?"

Footsteps shuffled toward him. He gulped, his body tensing automatically in expectation of an attack. As the figure came closer, the blond male felt his knees go weak, first in relief, then in fear. It was Gaara, but he looked...different. Gone was the pinched expression that spoke of the demon in his mind. Also gone was the loving almost-smirk he used to give his boyfriend. The red-haired man's expression was blank.

"Gaara?"

Gaara nodded curtly. "Naruto," he rasped. His voice sounded as if it had not been used in a long time. "You came."

"I did." Blinking rapidly, Naruto tried to hold back the burning in his eyes. "It's not what you think, Gaara! I didn't take Sasuke back. I don't even know where he is right now! He helped Shikamaru and the guys find you, did you know that? Where have you been? Are you okay? I won! I got off! I'm not going to jail or anything, believe it! I-"

"Naruto. Shut up."

"Gaara?" Uneasy, the Naruto clamped his lips together and backed up a step. Swiftly, the slightly smaller male closed the distance between them. A pale hand came up, and Naruto flinched, expecting a slap or a punch. He did not expect the sweet, gently caress of his cheek.

"Gaara?" His words were swallowed by a pair of warm, dry, hungry lips. Not wanting to break the spell by trying to speak, he lifted his arms from his side, and wrapped them around them around Gaara's waist. Gaara grunted and shifted closer, tracing the outline of Naruto's mouth with his tongue.

"Gaara," Naruto mumbled. "Let's go home."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** Wow. Finally. This is the very last chapter/epilogue of Bystander. My very first piece of fan fiction is complete! I am also writing a Neji/Lee story titled Snow in the Spring if you are interested. Thank you for following me on this (ridiculously long because life kept getting in my way) journey. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own Naruto. Still not making money from Naruto.

Excuse any typos. Wrote this on my phone.

* * *

On the last day of summer, he strolled into Konoha, fresh from an ANBU mission, his silent partner trailing behind him. He stretched and yawned as he walked the familiar streets. His stomach rumbled as his nose picked up a tantalizingly familiar smell. Breaking into a jog, he rounded the corner and narrowly missed crashing into the youth standing in front of Iruka's diner, handing out flyers and encouraging people to dine.

"Hey, watch-! Oh, it's you," Konohamaru said. "You're back, huh?"

"Yup." The man lifted his chin toward the restored, second story apartment above the diner. "He in?"

"Ye-es," the youth drawled, "but I wouldn't go up there right now if I were you." He paused and cocked his head to the side, a sly grin crossing his face. "But what do I know? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."

"Thanks, man!" he chirped brightly. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair and cracked his neck. Without checking to see if his partner would follow, he jogged up the metal stairs, twisted the doorknob, and flung open the door.

"I'm hoooo─" His saliva dried up in his mouth and he choked at the scene laid out before him.

Greeting him was a haphazard trail of discarded uniforms. Two bodies writhed on the floor, limbs snaked together. Grunts and hisses of pleasure filled the air as two heads, one red and one blond, moved in unison.

"MY EYES!" Kiba screeched as he stumbled backward in horror. He fled the apartment, bumping into Shino, who quietly closed the door behind them. Shaking, he made it halfway down the staircase before his knees gave out. A heavy land landed on his shoulder, making him jump.

"That was your own fault, you know. Why? Because you failed to knock and wait for permission to enter," Shino offered the panting male.

"FUCK! Naruto knew I was coming home today! I told him I was stoppin' by so we could get some drinks! Why do I have to see naked asses?!"

Shino leveled a glare at this partner, though the intensity went unnoticed thanks to the dark glasses sitting on his face. "Their intimacy should not bother you. Why? Because sex is a natural part of the order of living things in this world." He squeezed Kiba's shoulder and said, in a low voice, "I did not hear this level of complaint from you when we─"

"OKAY!" Kiba stood, dislodging Shino's hand from his shoulder. "I'm gonna get a fuckin' burger and send Naruto a fuckin' text. you comin' or what?" He stomped down the stairs without a backward glance.

Shino smirked at Kiba's hasty departure. He threw a wistful smile in the direction of the Uzumaki-Sabaku residence and sighed. He hoped that one day, he too would have such an open, loving relationship. Shrugging, he started down the stairs, mentally writing the report that he would have to deliver to Shikamaru.

There was still no sign of Sasuke Uchiha. He and his rumored band of followers, calling themselves "Taka", were flushing out the escaped Akatsuki members, but they themselves could not be found. Of the leaders of the group, Orochimaru was confirmed dead; Kabuto was in jail, in solitary, refusing to talk; Pein was dead; the mysterious Tobi had completely vanished. Itachi Uchiha was in a hospice, battling the end stages of lung disease. In all, their loose ends were being tied up neatly, almost too neatly, and Shikamaru was worried. Naruto and Gaara, though members of ANBU, spent more time underground and undercover than running down leads the way Kiba and Shino did. It wasn't a bad deal, however; Naruto was charismatic even if slightly gullible , and Gaara made an excellent bodyguard for the blond. man.

Shino pushed open the diner door and quickly scanned the room. Kiba, true to form, had a pile of Choji's famous "Everything" burgers in front of him, methodically working his way through them. Pushing his worries away, Shino pushed his glasses higher on his nose and went to join his partner. The report could wait just a little bit longer.


End file.
